You are on page 1of 24

St Kevins College, Victor McMahon Music

Centre / Baldasso Cortese Architects, Australia


ABOUT THE PROJECT
St. Kevins College hired Baldasso Cortese Architects to design a music centre
in the college precincts, made accessible from both the inside the college outside.
Two portals connect the school entry to the public entry.

EXTERNAL EXPRESSION
1. Consists of a robust palette of materials
2. Responds to the colleges adjacent sports hall clad in charcoal zinc
3. Takes cues from the architectural heritage of St Kelvins Monastery in
Ireland with its solid granite construction and small slit windows.
4. This is achieved with triple glazed windows providing improved acoustic
and thermal performance.
5.Integrates into the composition of the colleges public face on to Lansell
road.

INTERIOR SPACES
1. a large recital and rehearsal space with a listening gallery
2. a range of small and medium spaces provide opportunity for individual and
group practice for various instruments.
3. Walls and ceilings clad in Victorian Ash.
4. Timber chosen for its beauty and acoustic property.
INTERIOR SPACES
6. Interior detailing of the acoustic ceiling makes further
reference to exterior facades with its block patterning.
7. A new Oratory has been created as a place of personal
reflection within. a) Entry through a compressed
space into a small high ceiling space.
b) Clad in bluestone to create a monastic feel.
SITE CHARACTERISTICS
1. narrow and steep
2. bounded by residential apartments to the west and the
college hall to the east.
3. issues of visual bulk, scale, interest in the streetscape and
acoustic separation to the neighbours
4. need to provide a safe and equitable access for all from
both the school and public side (this was addressed through the
creation of a central gallery promenade for gathering and informal
performances.)
Project Details
SITE PLAN
About The Project
The external architectural expression of the new
music centre consist of a robust palette of materials,
responding to the colleges adjacent sports hall clad
in charcoal zinc and taking cues from the
architectural heritage of St Kelvins Monastery in
Ireland with its solid granite construction and small
slit windows, the latter of which is achieved with
triple glazed windows providing improved acoustic
and thermal performance. Through the consistent
use of materials the Music centre integrates into the
composition of buildings forming the colleges public
face on to Lansell road.
In contrast the interiors are inviting with walls and
ceilings clad in Victorian Ash; like a musical
instrument the spaces are detailed and sculpted to
be warm and textural with timber chosen for its
beauty and acoustic property. The interior detailing
of the acoustic ceiling makes further reference to
exterior facades with its block patterning. Graphics
have been used to celebrate the life of Alumni
Victor McMahon. Advance Australia Fair has been
represented on the stairwell to provide a sense of
belonging' and an opportunity to learn music
outside designed spaces.
A new Oratory has been created as a place of
personal reflection within. One enters the oratory
through a compressed space into a small high
ceiling space. Except for a solitary gold and black
mosaic composition that celebrates St Kevin, the
space is clad in bluestone to create a monastic feel.
Two small openings bring in light. One to the west
provides ambient light through the day whilst a slit
window wrapping from wall to roof provides a
dramatic shaft of light that marks the time of day,
the shaft of light falls on the mosaic on the morning
of 3rd June every year- St Kevins Feast Day.

You might also like