RMIT School of Traditional Art
Focus
Institutional
Location
A'Beckett
Year
2025
A school that doubles as a public hub. The design balances openness and privacy: food stalls and stores at ground level, exhibition atrium in the core, and studios above. Natural light funnels through a central atrium and climate responsive façade, reducing energy use while supporting a vibrant student community.
The goal for this course was to focus on sustainability of the materials we are using as well as the construction details of both the structure and facade system. NCC/ BCA were a part of consideration.
How can a school for traditional arts also serve as an active public hub that connects students with the wider community?
Ground Floor Plan is open to the public. It includes necessities for the art students habiting this school with programs such as food stalls, convenience store and art store. Double height is used to create a welcoming and inviting gestures for the public.
First floor is where the atrium would start forming. The bottom of the atrium is an open space for students that would become an open exhibition space (seasonal), showcasing student’s work throughout the semester
Started incorporating metal catwalk for easier access to clean and service the glazings or facade.
Level 3 and above holds classrooms and private studio space.
The proposed building aimed to maximise daylight through minimising the amount of artificial lighting used at daytime. This is achieved through the proposed atrium that hollows out the central area of the building that goes from first floor until the top of the building. This made the building less dependent on artificial lighting, lowering the buildings energy usage.
Shows how daylight is maximised while ensuring structural stability. The triangulated steel truss supports large spans of glass, allowing natural light to flood the exhibition space below.
The sectional detail demonstrates how the atrium wall system integrates structure, transparency and human scale. Vertical steel columns and reinforced glazing provide strength while maintaining openness. The detail illustrates how the atrium frames circulation spaces and connects students with views into the exhibition and public areas.
Modular panels that combine shading and light filtration. Perforated screens reduce solar heat gain while allowing diffuse daylight to light up studios, creating a comfortable environment for making and learning
Layers of glazing, insulation, and structural support reduced heat gain while maintaining transparency
