With its angled roof line and modern façade, a contemporary building now greets visitors and students at the Wellington Secondary College in Victoria. The architecturally designed building, home to a multi-purpose administration and learning facility, has been built to go the distance with durable window and door framing products from Alspec.

The two storey development, named the EH Blaikie Vanellus Centre, is a welcome addition to the co-educational college in Mulgrave, southeast of Melbourne. The building houses the college’s administration services, a library and technology hub, as well as collaborative learning spaces accessible to students.

The main building entrance was constructed with a combination of Alspec Swan Evo 45mm Double Glazed Commercial Doors and McArthur 101.6mm Centre Pocket Framing. Developed specifically for the commercial environment, Swan doors are popular for education facilities because of their secure centre pocket glazing and sturdy construction. The versatile doors have been used throughout the complex in hinged, pivoted or sliding applications as suited to the space being accessed. Meanwhile the McArthur 101.6mm Centre Pocket Framing is ideal for integrating the Swan doors with the double-height fixed window framing sections of the entrance. All framing has been powder coated with Duratec Eternity Charcoal Pearl, aesthetically complementing the textured brickwork and darker tones of the external cladding and timber panelling.

Within the office administration section, View-Max Commercial Sliding Windows have been used to create the interface between secure staff areas and student/visitor access points. The sliding windows allow for easy opening between the two spaces when needed, while forming a secure barrier when closed. The windows are cost effective and easy to install, and also feature acoustic properties to prevent noise transfer.

Acoustic qualities were an important consideration for materials used across the complex, especially for those areas where glazing was to be used for interior walls. The advantage of using glazing internally is that natural light is able to permeate further through the building. By installing Hunter Evo 150 Acoustic Framing, the light stays, but noise transmission is minimised. As Alspec’s architectural grade aluminium framing product, Hunter Evo 150 is ideal for applications where acoustic considerations are a priority. To further assist with natural light access to the various spaces, high positioned 35mm Awning Windows have been utilised around the ceiling perimeter. Placing the openable windows at this level ensures a secure environment while taking advantage of natural cooling and ventilation.

Project Name: Wellington Secondary College
Project Address: Mulgrave Victoria
Architect: Clarke Hopkins Clarke
Builder: Four Square
Fabricator: PW Glass Group
Applied Finish: Duratec Eternity Charcoal Pearl
Photography: Daniel Fuge

Alspec Products Used:
Hunter Evo 150mm Acoustic Framing
McArthur Evo 101.6mm Centre Pocket Framing
Awning and Casement Window
View-Max® Commercial Sliding Window