Palmview State Primary and Special School

FKG Group with MODE Design Corp

The Queensland Governments Department of Education delivers world-class education services for Queenslanders at every stage of their personal and academic development. With their Building Future Schools (BFS) program, the Government aims to deliver state-of-the-art schools for the communities of QLD. The Palmview State Primary and Special Schools were two such projects, where FKG’s design initiatives were used to advanced the ongoing performance and longevity of the school’s buildings.

FKG sought to optimise key sustainability principles throughout the buildings, with core elements considered for how they would impact on learning and development. A change in road location switched the building’s orientation from north to south, which gave the designing firms new parameters through which to think about shade, insulation and window placement. Natural ventilation was achieved with multi-level operable windows, shading and louvres to ensure that students were able to learn in a quiet environment with a stable and consistent temperature with minimal reliance on air conditioning. A 100kW solar system was installed across both schools, designed in such a way as to allow for future expansion, should the school’s population and footprint increase over time.

Along with the building itself, the Department of Education requires a focus on community improvement, encouraging a holistic approach to development and construction. Work undertaken supported trainees and apprentices as well as Indigenous businesses, with labour and subcontractors selected based on their proximity to the project to ensure the communities benefit from the created jobs.

Photography by Lucy RC Photography.