DECYP Schools

Client: Department for Education, Children and Young People (D-E-C-Y-P)
Architects: Artas Architects (Brooks High School), Cumulus Architects (Legana Primary School), CMK Architects (Queechy High School), Design Intent (Cressey High School)
Builders: Vos Constructions, Anstie Constructions, Fairbrother
Structural & Civil Engineer: Collective Consulting
Key Personnel: Alan Leake (Principal Structural Engineer), Jarred Allen (Civil Engineer), Trent McCarthy (Structural Modeler), Darren Bosveld (Structural Modeler)
Completion: 2015–ongoing
Value: ≈ $48 million (combined portfolio)

Building Educational Infrastructure Across Tasmania

Since 2011, Collective Consulting has delivered structural and civil engineering services for more than a dozen public educational facilities across Tasmania, from Hobart and Launceston to regional centres including Burnie, Rosebery, and Queenstown. The portfolio spans general learning areas, multipurpose rooms, gymnasiums, administrative facilities, and staff amenities, providing robust and cost-effective designs that support modern educational practices. Major projects include the Brooks High School Redevelopment ($10 million, 2015), Queechy High School Redevelopment ($8 million), Cressey High School Redevelopment (≈ $5 million), and Legana Primary School ($25 million), alongside significant works at Montrose Primary School, La Trobe Primary School, Ulverstone Primary School, and St. Helens Primary School. Collective Consulting provided complete structural and civil engineering services from return brief through construction administration and compliance inspections, working closely with the Department for Education, Children and Young People to maximize asset value and educational outcomes.

Engineering Challenges

Educational projects across Tasmania present diverse technical constraints shaped by geography, existing infrastructure, and evolving building standards. Key engineering challenges included:

• Variable site conditions ranging from sloping terrains to soft soil profiles and low-lying floodplains, requiring tailored foundation systems and extensive earthworks to achieve suitable building platforms.
• Integration with existing structures built across multiple decades, often requiring assessment of 1980s-era classrooms and coordination with occupied facilities to maintain educational continuity during construction.
• Compliance with contemporary standards while preserving serviceable older buildings, necessitating specialized detailing to upgrade ventilation, structural capacity, and accessibility without wholesale demolition.
• Regional material and contractor availability across outer suburbs and remote areas including the West Coast, requiring practical specifications that local suppliers and builders could reliably deliver.
• Functional connectivity between previously isolated buildings, particularly at Brooks High School where separate classroom blocks required unification through covered circulation routes.

Integrated Structure & Civil Design

The engineering approach balanced standardization with site-specific adaptation. At Legana Primary School, extensive civil earthworks elevated the entire facility above floodplain levels, creating an AFL-compliant oval and landscaped outdoor learning environments that engage students with the natural terrain. The structural system employed conventional reinforced concrete and steel framing sized for multipurpose halls and gymnasium spans, with careful coordination of services and acoustic separation between learning and activity spaces. At Brooks High School, a structural canopy system connected previously isolated 1980s classroom buildings, transforming circulation patterns and creating sheltered outdoor learning areas. The canopy design addressed wind loading and thermal expansion while maintaining visual lightness appropriate to the educational setting.

Foundation systems varied by site. Shallow pad footings proved suitable for competent ground conditions in urban locations, while softer regional sites required deeper strip footings or localized piling to control settlement. Civil drainage design addressed Tasmania's high rainfall, with stormwater management integrated into landscaping to create educational opportunities around water cycles and environmental stewardship. Collective Consulting coordinated structural interfaces with existing buildings through detailed surveys and non-destructive assessment techniques, including subfloor camera inspections to evaluate timber floor conditions and identify damp-proofing requirements. This approach preserved serviceable infrastructure while upgrading ventilation systems to protect timber flooring and extend asset life, allowing D-E-C-Y-P to maximize return on existing investments.

Collaboration & Construction

Working closely with Artas Architects, Cumulus Architects, CMK Architects, and Design Intent, Collective Consulting supported design development through iterative structural modelling and cost optimization. The team coordinated with local contractors including Vos Constructions, Anstie Constructions, and Fairbrother to ensure buildability and material availability across regional Tasmania. Construction services included contract administration and compliance inspections, with on-site presence during critical structural works to resolve coordination issues and verify installation quality. At occupied school sites, the team sequenced construction to minimize disruption to educational programs, staging works during school holidays and coordinating temporary access routes to maintain safety and functionality.

The specification of advanced ventilation systems for existing buildings demonstrated the value of informed infrastructure decisions during the design phase. By assessing subfloor conditions and moisture levels, Collective Consulting recommended targeted interventions that preserved timber floors and structural framing without costly replacement, extending building life by decades. This approach aligned with D-E-C-Y-P's asset management strategy, balancing new construction with strategic upgrades to existing facilities.

Key Outcomes

• Over $48 million in educational infrastructure delivered across urban and regional Tasmania, from major metropolitan centres to remote West Coast communities
• Brooks High School redevelopment unified previously isolated classroom blocks through structural canopy system, improving circulation and creating covered outdoor learning areas
• Legana Primary School elevated above floodplain through extensive earthworks, incorporating AFL-compliant oval and landscaped outdoor environments
• Subfloor assessment and ventilation upgrades preserved timber flooring and structural framing across multiple existing facilities, extending asset life and reducing replacement costs
• Structural and civil systems tailored to regional material availability and contractor capability, ensuring reliable construction outcomes in remote locations
• Ongoing partnership with D-E-C-Y-P supporting educational advancement through modern building practices and compliance with contemporary construction codes

"Educational projects require a different mindset—you're designing for flexibility, durability, and the reality that these buildings need to serve communities for fifty years or more. Getting the fundamentals right during design saves enormous cost and disruption down the track." — Alan Leake