Redefining the school’s presence within community.
Rushworth P-12 Technology Hub
Overview
The Rushworth P-12 College Technology Centre on Taungurung Country in regional Victoria has transformed the historic school. Established in 1872, the college’s facilities have evolved over time. Developed by Sibling Architecture, the project balances heritage values with the creation of a forward-looking campus. Removing aging, asbestos-ridden buildings paves the way for a new ‘Town Square’ and Technology Centre.
The new centre supports Design Technology, Science, and Food Technology with specialised facilities, including a stainless-steel kitchen, advanced science labs, and a workshop. It serves as a vocational hub, connecting students with job opportunities and enhancing the town’s social fabric.
The design blends historical and contemporary elements, with grey patterned bricks and green cladding. Large windows offer views of the landscape, while two entries provide shaded outdoor workspaces.
Collaboration with engineers and consultants ensured high-quality delivery. Landscaped areas support biodiversity, and internal spaces are distinguished by colour palettes—blue for Design Technology, orange for Science, terracotta for Food Technology, and teal for theory spaces.
Sustainability is key, with passive cooling, rainwater tanks, and recycled materials reducing the environmental footprint. The centre delivers value by reducing maintenance costs and creating vibrant new spaces aligned with the school’s educational goals.
This project balances heritage values with the creation of a forward-looking campus. The removal of aging, asbestos-ridden buildings paves the way for a new central ‘Town Square’ and Technology Centre, realigning the school’s presence within the community.
The building’s design is responsive to its context, blending historical and contemporary elements. Its grey patterned brick base and green geometric fibre cement cladding create a bold yet complementary contrast to the red-brick heritage buildings on-site. These materials and colours also draw inspiration from Rushworth’s local geology and gold rush history, embedding a sense of place within the architecture.
Designed to support Design Technology, Science, and Food Technology, the new centre is a dynamic learning environment offering flexible, high-performance spaces. Specialised facilities include a stainless-steel commercial kitchen, advanced science laboratories, and a workshop for woodworking, jewellery-making, and metalworking.
Beyond its role as an educational facility, the centre serves as a vocational hub for the local community, connecting students with real-world job opportunities and enhancing the town’s social fabric.
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Large windows frame views of the surrounding landscape, offering students calming and inspiring connections to the outdoors, while two generous entries on the east and west provide shaded outdoor workspaces and provide flow through the site.
