Esperance TAFE Campus Maximises Light For Learning

Located approximately 720 kilometres southeast of Perth is the new South Regional TAFE Esperance campus, which delivers training to skill the community for local industries and services to support the town’s infrastructure.

Hassell Architects was engaged in designing the new campus to cater to the current and future training and workforce development needs of the Esperance industry, community, and surrounding region with the help of Capral glazing and framing systems.

Maximising Natural Light

“We designed a series of buildings that responded to the streetscape, which the previous buildings had not been able to fully achieve,” said Chris Pratt, Architect at Hassell Project Architect. “The new design is made up of a series of distributed pavilions oriented east-west to maximise northern light to the learning areas and to create a number of courtyard spaces in between buildings.”

Divided into north and south precincts with a central pedestrian axis connecting the buildings for wayfinding purposes, the north precinct of the campus accommodates administration, childcare, aged care, and beauty therapy. On the opposite side of the campus, the south precinct houses training facilities, including automotive, metalwork, and construction. Tying the whole campus together is the central Student Hub, with both precincts directing students towards its accompanying facilities.

Protection From Inclement Weather

Because of the exposed location of the Esperance Campus, weather conditions can be unfavourable, with prevailing solid winds and southerly storms being a common occurrence in the region. Student spaces feature courtyards protected against harsh climatic conditions, and the buildings’ structure is designed to integrate seamlessly with the landscape.

“Inspiration was drawn from the granite outcrops in the nearby ocean, which led to the idea for the buildings to rise out of the ground, reflecting the remnant dunes and archipelago located off Esperance,” says Pratt.

“The building materials and colours used were also inspired by the surrounding landscape’s visual form and complemented with a simple architectural language of pitched roofs and verandas, opening onto landscaped courtyards that connect with the Esperance’ farmhouse’ vernacular.”

Incorporating Native Flora

Paying further respect to the Esperance landscape, Capral gave much attention to the site’s landscaping. Native flora typical to the area was sourced from local nurseries embedding the campus fully into the surroundings.

Sustainable design and outcomes were essential to the Esperance builders. Attention was placed on using simple roof forms, directing northern light to internal learning spaces to minimise energy costs. We also chose the materials and use of exposed brick to reduce the maintenance required on the building’s external.

Creating Flexible and Adaptable Learning Spaces

Another critical design feature the client identified was creating flexible and adaptable learning spaces to suit future needs. “Most of the buildings are open-planned with internal spaces freed from significant internal structural items and with minimal partitions,” says Pratt.

“The simple floorplans foster learning and productive interaction, while full-height internal glazing and window suites were central to creating interactive learning spaces while simultaneously creating acoustic separation.”

Better Glazing and Framing

In a colder environment like Esperance, the glazing and framing often form the building’s weak points, as they are prone to leakages or thermal failure. For these reasons, Capral was used for the framing and glazing of the buildings.

“We rely on each glazing suite to be sealed, properly manufactured, and correctly installed because it is through the windows where the building connects to the outside and where the magic really happens – in terms of opportunities to bring natural light into the building, framing views, or highlighting an internal activity from the outside,” says Pratt.