An award-winning private school is poised to build a $50m performing arts centre.
St Andrew’s Anglican College at Peregian Springs has charged ahead with development in recent years, opening a $15m learning hub in 2015 and an impressive $14m aquatic centre in 2019.
The school, which caters for kindergarten to Year 12, is also constructing more car parks and multi-purpose courts, worth $8m, this year.
But plans for a leading performing centre have taken the spotlight.
The school’s principal, Reverend Chris Ivey, said the venue would be first-class.
“The facility, when completed, will be one of the finest school rehearsal and performing spaces,” he said.
“We have gone through an extensive consultation process with key stakeholders and a strong focus on students, acoustics and connecting with our environment are key parts of the project.”
There were initial considerations to design and build the venue in one go but, after “wrestling with the details”, it was decided the facility would be constructed in two stages and completed within a decade.
Stage one, worth $30m, is expected to include an administration precinct, undercover area, cafe and performing arts facilities, to be opened in 2025.
Stage two, worth $20m, is set to boast a showpiece 550-seat auditorium, opened by 2027 to 2032.
Reverend Ivey said the centre would be paid for by the college and it would include several learning areas.
“The current proposal consists of three purpose-built rehearsal spaces for differing ensembles, a black box (a simple performance space), teaching spaces, instrumental teaching spaces, break-out spaces and storage space for costumes, instruments and props.”
Reverend Ivey said the facility was needed to accommodate the school’s flourishing performing arts sector.
“The program has grown over many years and we simply don’t have the room to grow any further in terms of tuition, rehearsal and storage spaces,” he said.
He said music, dance and drama were highly valued at the school.
“Performing arts, like every other aspect of our co-curricular program, provides opportunities for our students to develop their personal capacity,” he said.
“Performing arts allows students to work with students outside their normal age group, allows them to commit to teamwork, develop skills and most importantly, provide a service to others through their performances.”
The school also has plans to expand its science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics departments, and its secondary school outdoor areas. It is also aiming for multi-purpose hall duplication, to be completed by 2027 to 2023.
There were no drawings/impressions, at this stage, for the performing arts centre, which is being designed by m3architecture.
