As the year closes our reflection is of a very busy and successful year.
It's not until you list what has been achieved in the year that the full impact is revealed.
COMPLETED 2010:
UNDER CONSTRUCTION:
CONSTRUCTION TO START 2011
DESIGN DEVELOPEMENT AND DONCUMENTATION TO START 2011
ADDITIONAL TO THE ABOVE
From the above we have taken great delight in receiving some very important awards. These reflect the buildings appropriateness to the brief, their usability and most important their contribution to the development of the type.
Most notably is the South Gippsland Special School. Being our first Specialist School we approached this job with trepidation. After visiting several built facilities it seemed to us Specialist Education facilities had not moved forward to the same degree as mainstream facilities. We took a bold approach, siting the building on a slope and commanding exceptional views as well providing the school with its own address and identity.
Wrapping the school around two courtyards allowed light, protection from the wind and a sense of community. Finally making the central focus a kids cafe, served with student tendered vegetable gardens in the courtyards set this school apart from any type cast.
As a result it won the Victoria Education Minister Commendation, was the CEFPI Australasian winner for Education Initiative / Design Solution for an innovative program and finally with great surprise it was awarded a Project of Distinction at the International CEFPI conference in San Joes, California.
Of similar note is the new K-9 school we have built at Broadmeadows. This is our largest undertaking and in many ways the most complex. It has been rewarding however with it being acknowledged with the following awards;
It's a very pleasing note to end the year.
Our most obvious news is that our website is taking pleasure in a new lease of life. Hopefully the new format is enjoyable and easy to navigate. I welcome any feedback and thank all staff who set it up and contributed to making it current. The size of the office has stabilized and we welcome the recent inclusion of Julianne Muholland (Accounts) and Peter Scott (Final Year Student). We really are now at optimum capacity, physically and professionally. More importantly, it is a cohesive team with great balance of skill and enthusiasm
Work wise, we continue to ride the crest of the education Revolution and we are fortunate that our school projects are carried and evenly generated from the Private and Public Sector. It has not been our focus to pursue awards, so it comes as a real surprise that they are coming in at regular intervals. The joy of these has been recognition of not only our efforts, but also the efforts of the schools with whom we work so closely. As well as schools, our focus continues to be 'public' based buildings and we are enjoying the Church projects at present. Council setbacks in Heritage, however continues to delay and affect good outcomes which is unfortunate and all too common.
Finally, my greatest satisfaction is watching our staff develop. Several have now successfully completed their registration exam which endorses their considerable talents; whilst some staff have not yet registered, this does not seem to hold them back; enthusiasm and experience seem to be the main prerequisite for the contribution to our built portfolio.