The North West Christian school, located in the north west of Tasmania in Penguin, and Hilliard Christian School, located in the south in Hobart, both presented different masterplanning challeges. While they shared the values and faith of the Seventh-day Adventist School system, their localities, sites and school communities required individual review and analysis, offering different design opportunities.

Client

North West Christian School, Hilliard Christian School

Project Type

Masterplan

Traditional Owners

Palawa-pakana people

Completed

2024

Unique identities

Discussions with the schools revealed the two school communities were both unique and very different from each other, while sharing the same values and promotion of inclusivity, tolerance and respect for others.

The North West School’s community has a strong rural & outdoor influence as well as a student mix of approximately 19% of the student population identifying as Indigenous and 0% of the student population reporting a language background other than English (2023).

The Hilliard community is more urban, though surrounded by views of nature, and it proudly celebrates a rich tapestry of cultures, with families hailing from various corners of the globe. While the school community boasts a significant Indian population, it also cherishes the presence of families from Africa, Myanmar, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, fostering an environment of cross-cultural understanding and appreciation.

Site constraints

Both school sites are lucky to be enhanced by natural settings with the North West School’s views to Bass Strait and the Dial Ranges, and Hilliard School’s site in the bushland setting in the shadow of Hobart’s Mount Wellington.

Both schools have become increasingly popular within their communities as an important choice for families seeking private Christian education in a supportive environment, and as a result their building stock does not support the predicted growth.

The rural aspect of Penguin and the North West campus has allowed the school to include an agricultural component to their curriculum and have the campus space to masterplan for their future growth.

The Hilliard School has a much tighter site with a steep slope and restricted access points. The resulting master plan is a much denser campus with multi-level buildings to retain passive and active open spaces.