New school

Lindfield Learning Village Stage 2 completed project

About the project
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Lindfiled Learning Village is now finished and operational, serving the needs of students and the community.

The benefits

Refurbishment of the existing buildings.
Internal fitout works, delivered in phases.
New kiss and drop and bus access.
New covered outdoor learning area (COLA) and additional play space.
Repurposing the existing lecture theatres into new drama and music teaching theatres.
Relocation of Aurora College (NSW Department of Education’s Selective Virtual High School) to Lindfield Learning Village.

Timeline

Planning

Design

In progress

Complete

Project gallery

Image: Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA)
Image: Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA)
Image: Kiss and drop area
Image: Cafeteria
Image: Commercial kitchen
Image: Learning space
Image: Reading nook

Additional information

Fast facts

Completion date

September 2021

Architect

NBRS Architecture

Builder

Hindmarsh

Electorate

Davidson

Address

Eton Road Lindfield NSW 2070

Heritage information

Introduction

The building in which the Lindfield Learning Village is located began its life as the William Balmain Teachers’ College. The College was established in the suburb of Balmain in 1946, occupying the buildings formerly known as the Smith Street School. It opened in 1887 and served as a public school until 1945.

The William Balmain Teachers’ College at Lindfield blended the influences from both the Sydney School and the New Brutalism streams of architectural thought that were a major feature of Australian architecture for two decades from the late 1950s.

The Lindfield Learning Village Campus is also historically significant for its place in the development of teachers’ education in NSW and is representative of the substantial investment by State and Federal Government into Higher Education in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Campus remains largely intact and is a seminal example of the Neo-Brutalist style in Australia, moderated by the influence of the Sydney School of architecture.[1]

[1] The information has been summarised from, City Plan Heritage, Heritage Assessment, UTS Ku-ring-gai Campus (August 2004) and Graham Brooks and Associates, Heritage Assessment & Conservation Strategy, UTS Campus Ku-ring-gai (July 2004)

1968-1971

In September 1967, Minister for Education Charles Cutler announced that sketch plans for a new college had been completed. The following announcement was carried in the Western Suburbs News Mail on 28 September 1967:

The new college at Chatswood, on a site located on Eton Road and adjacent to the Commonwealth Film Laboratories, will replace the Balmain Teachers’ College. It will be called the William Balmain Teachers’ College to retain its association with Balmain. Construction on the 55-acre site will have a split-level design and will retain as much of the natural beauty of the trees, shrubs and rock as possible. Construction will be an integrated complex of buildings varying from one to four storeys. Accommodation and facilities will include lecturing facilities, libraries, playing fields and off-street parking.[1]

In December 1968, the contract was issued for construction of Stage One, consisting of lecture rooms and facilities, a library, an art-craft centre, TV studios, playing fields and temporary administration and students’ union facilities.

[1] Western Suburbs News Mail, 28 September 1967, p?

1972-1974

Stage Two consisted of an Assembly Hall, Students’ Union, offices and additional lecture rooms. Construction commenced in 1972 and was completed by 1974. Coinciding with the opening of Stage Two, the William Balmain Teachers’ College was re-named the Ku-ring-gai College of Advanced Education (KCAE).

Teacher training courses were conducted within the School of Teacher Education. In 1974, the College consisted of a new School of Financial and Administrative Studies, Library and Information Studies. The Practical Legal Training was based at the College of Law at St. Leonards.

1976

David Don Turner, project architect, designed and documented Stage Three but had no direct involvement with the construction. The Stage Three Gymnasium block cost $1.2 million.

In 1976 the School of Library and Information Studies was established.

In 1977, the College of Law at St. Leonards affiliated with KCAE and became the School of Practical Legal Training.

1980

1988

News

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Get involved

We are committed to working together with our school communities to deliver the best possible learning facilities for students.
Opportunities for school communities to get involved in the project will be shared on this page.

Enrolment information

For information on enrolment please visit the school's website at lindfieldlearningvillage.com.au and select the enrolment tab.

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Your feedback on this project is important to us. For more information, questions or to make a comment please email us at schoolinfrastructure@det.nsw.edu.au or complete the contact form.

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Welcome pack - January 2021

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