Penrith Anglican College

Located prominently on the college campus, the new building houses teaching suites, hospitality and performance spaces, located adjacent to the existing theatre which has been refurbished as part of the project.

Optimising the constraint of this pre-existing structure, the adjacent rugby field offered a logical focus for arranging connections to the new venues, with views across the sports field to the landscape beyond.

A sweeping roof forms a ligature between the two buildings, and an additional ‘third space’ –the covered outdoor areas in between – that allow students to gather in smaller groups in and around the buildings, sheltered from the Western Sydney sun.

The building works as a sort of ‘backpack’, augmenting the existing theatre’s spaces and functions while also acting as a viewing pavilion for a rugby field – currently bereft of any support infrastructure. Between these dual roles and formal arrangements as a backpack and pavilion, the building hosts a complex set of teaching, practice and performance spaces that further extend what is possible from the minimal budget. Tying this together are a series of third spaces that build upon circulation needs between and behind the classrooms and, when combined with the verandah/pavilion, form a rich network of covered outdoor practice and play areas, outdoor foyers, rugby viewing areas and multiple other potential uses.