Pembroke Middle School development nearing the home stretch
Updated: Apr 11, 2025
This month we have reached an exciting milestone on the Pembroke Middle School Redevelopment, with the 30m long x 4.6m wide pedestrian bridge successfully installed over Shipsters Road.
The prefabricated bridge design and construction has required an intense whole of team approach from 3D design and structural modelling, costing, building logistics and expert fabrication skills. Thanks to Sarah Constructions, CPR Engineers and Specialised Solutions along with our team here at Grieve Gillett Architects and our client Pembroke School for working so hard together to achieve a great result.
The pedestrian bridge provides a safe connection for staff and students across Shipsters Road at First Floor level. Over the next few months, the bridge will receive some extra design treatment so watch this space!
Inside the Middle School building, things are vividly taking shape. Construction is moving quickly to enable students to occupy in the third term of the year. The wood and metal workshops, technology and ICT hubs, science labs, art studios, business enterprise spaces and the central atrium will all soon come to life with colour, pattern and texture.
Seeing the interiors come to life after months of development is very exciting. We have actively tried to use lots of different materials and construction techniques to engage students and teach them about our industry.
The Pembroke Middle School is situated on an unusual piece of land. The triangular shape of the site drove early design explorations and have led to a dynamic architectural solution. The “nonrectangular” theme has carried through to all elements of the build. Not much is standard! This has been challenging for the construction team but ultimately has resulted in an amazing space which is dynamic and visually engaging.
One of the standout design great features throughout the Middle School building are the unconventional windows and doors. Some of the windows are long and tapered to catch views of the city, and others appear to be cut from the façade like a corner cut from paper. A suite of playful workshop doors at Ground level feature a signature porthole view originally inspired by the chicken hutch at the Pembroke School ‘Old Watulunga’ Environmental Learning Centre.
There is already a lot to like in the Pembroke Middle School project. As we head into the home stretch, we can see all the hard work in design and collaboration coming together into a great space for learning.
Porthole doors inspired by the chicken hutch at Pembroke's Old Watulunga Environmental Learning Ctr Pedestrian 'Jin' Bridge for safer travel between school buildings Inside the atrium and void space on the ground floor of the Pembroke Middle School Redevelopment Light filled open communal spaces centred around the large atrium and void space Providing vertical and horizontal connectivity across the building. Pedestrian bridge over Shipsters Road, Pembroke Middle School Redevelopment
