Barker College New Senior School Hub Opens

Barker College students have returned to Term 3 and the excitement of enjoying their Maths lessons in a stunning new massed timber building that the School has recently opened.

Architectus, who designed the building, selected “massed timber” construction materials. Timber features prominently on Levels 2 and 3 and in some of the features of the building. Additionally, the use of louvres and metallic shading structures is intended to give the building a sense of geometry as well as efficiency.

The building provides 22 new classrooms, which will be dedicated to Mathematics teaching. The ground floor of the building provides a large cafeteria and Dining Commons, which will remain open into the evenings to provide services for students whose days are long and demanding. There is also an “Incubator” for student study and a “Quiet Carriage” room, which will be a place for absolutely silent study for Senior students.

One of the many beautiful features of the building is the breezeway entrance that features a ceiling installation of Yolngu artwork by Caroline Dhamarrandji, a Yolngu artist from North East Arnhem Land, where Barker College’s Indigenous campus, Dhupuma Barker is located.

Barker’s Year 12s entered the First Floor Incubator, Quiet Carriage and Dining Commons of the new Senior School Hub towards the end of Term 2. They were the first students to make use of this wonderful new building, and it has already made an impact for them, as they prepare for their upcoming Trial examinations.

“Seeing the new massed timber building that now embellishes the Barker Campus, it is difficult to recall the numerous challenges faced by our builders throughout the construction period, which was perhaps amongst the most difficult faced by the industry for many decades,” Head of Barker College, Mr Phillip Heath said.