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May 29, 2025
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by Gardner Wetherill

Veritas – Marist College Canberra

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text]Veritas marks the first stage in the implementation of the Marist College Canberra Master Plan. Designed as a leading Science and Performing Arts precinct, Veritas thoughtfully integrates the elements to support teaching and learning, faith, and movement into a single cohesive built form.   The building incorporates: - Science: Wet Laboratories plus ancillary spaces - Performing Arts:  Facilities for dance, drama, ensemble, music including a drama cube - PDHPE spaces connecting to the ovals - Changing facilities - Respectful Staff environments   Architecturally, the design expresses grounded simplicity — solid foundations that seem to grow from the earth, balanced by light, floating elements supported on slender columns. A variety of textures and tones suggest rhythm and movement, subtly referencing the wavelengths found in music and science.   The design quietly references the Marcellin teaching of ‘the living stream’, weaving moments of faith throughout the precinct alongside purposeful spaces that encourage industrious learning and engagement with the surrounding landscape.   Honest. Kind....

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Shore Grammar School Master Plan Competition Site Render
May 19, 2025
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by Gardner Wetherill

Shore Grammar School Master Plan Competition

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text] Guided by the values of engagement, connection, and inspiration, our entry for the Shore Grammar School Master Plan set out a long-term vision that honours 135 years of legacy while embracing contemporary educational pedagogy. Spanning the North Sydney and Northbridge campuses, the plan proposed a staged framework to enhance learning environments, support wellbeing, and improve campus legibility.   With a focus on daylight, material warmth, and acoustic comfort, the architectural response was framed to support both direct instruction and collaborative, student-led learning. In key new buildings, sustainability is embedded through the use of Cross Laminated Timber, while Shore’s chimneys and lanterns were reimagined as passive design elements that enable natural stack ventilation and contribute to the architectural expression.   Outdoor learning spaces and circulation strategies improve wayfinding and reinforce a sense of spatial continuity. At the heart of the plan, the School Chapel remains a symbolic and spatial anchor—reflecting Shore’s enduring commitment...

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June 28, 2023
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St Paul’s Grammar School, Innovation Learning Centre (ILC)

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text]The Innovation Learning Centre (ILC) at St Paul’s Grammar School is a new collaborative teaching and learning environment, completed in 2023. GW. were commissioned to design the two-storey building upon successful delivery of the School’s 2019 Master Plan. The ILC features a range of flexible learning spaces that seamlessly integrate technology, to encourage proactive student engagement and transform knowledge sharing at St Pauls Grammar School.   Distinguished by its 'floating' roof and carefully designed clerestory glazing, the building captures abundant daylight, offers visual connectivity to the natural surrounds, and optimizes solar panel placement to minimize the environmental footprint. The external finishes and colour selections respond to the school’s existing colour palette and unify the site’s various architectural styles.   The specific flexible learning environments include:   - Knowledge Centre/Library with associated Offices, Silent Study, Seminar and Breakout Spaces - Lecture Theatre and Tiered Seating - Multiple “Incidental” Open Learning Spaces - Student Services Centre - Mathematics (7) - STEaM...

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June 2, 2025
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by Gardner Wetherill

Marist College Canberra Master Plan

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text] Following a design competition, GW. were selected to develop the new Master Plan for Marist College Canberra. The plan reflects the values and aspirations of the Marist community, creating a connected campus while laying the foundation for a long-term vision. Based around the narrative of “The Marist Journey”, the plan integrates learning, faith, and environment into a cohesive design to support development into the future.   We framed our ideas with embedding the values: Honest. Kind. Industrious.   A ‘green filter’ is provided on the western and southern sides, so that those entering can move through the trees and gardens. These elements are a transition promoting a sense of wellbeing. The first visible message of faith is a new chapel within the Village Green. Kind and simple in form, the chapel sits in a place of prominence and become the heartbeat of the campus: a beacon.   Quiet moments of faith are woven together with...

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May 12, 2020
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Excelsior Public School

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text]GW. was commissioned to design the expansion of Excelsior Public School at Baulkham Hills.   The site has a significant rise from the main street frontage with five existing buildings stepping up the site connected by multiple stairs and ramps.   Master Planning resulted in one new building and the adaptive re-use of three other buildings as well as planning for future connections to new buildings.The new main building comprises three levels, two of which connect laterally to adjacent buildings, facilitating ease of pedestrian movement and accessibility compliance.   The new building contains 12 home bases with separate practical activities and presentation spaces, a new library and tiered seating space, and an undercroft area containing the canteen and service/ storage rooms.   Enhanced street presence and improved pedestrian access were achieved through the adaptive reuse of an existing building to become a new administration building, including a new facade.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

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March 16, 2020
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Wenona Woodstock Infants School

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text]“…the architects and designers at GWA have ensured that the final product has delivered the vision of a truly inspirational facility for teaching and learning of Wenona’s youngest of learners.”  – Julie Collier (Coordinator of Infants)   The design for Woodstock Infants is centred on the School’s learning philosophy that is “...

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March 16, 2020
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Lennon Centre, Northholm Grammar School

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text] “The Lennon Centre was the first stage of the original Masterplan. It not only meets all the parameters of a state of the art education facility but has been designed with an insightful appreciation of our rural setting as well as a wider vision of sustainability into the future.” - Lynne Gutheridge (Principal)   The design narrative involved combining simple forms which are clear and fluid in their language together with the site-specific context of climate, and the traditional rural Australian vernacular.   The solution incorporated appropriate shading, daylighting and ventilation, synonymous with typical rural dwellings and their underlying rationale.   GWA have worked with Northholm Grammar School since 2002 on a range of projects, including two masterplans and a diverse range of projects. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

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March 16, 2020
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Macquarie University International College

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text] The refurbished MUIC student precinct has transformed the on-campus experience for MUIC Students by delivering a world-class student hub, a state-of-the-art Independent Learning Centre, 15 MUIC Classrooms, an IELTs Test Centre, Staff Offices and activated Corridors.   The design concept for the project was to bring students together in an environment where they feel safe to socialise together or relax individually, within an educational environment. The culture of connection, casual exchange of ideas and collaboration is enhanced through the provision of communal spaces, activated corridors and considered furniture selection. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

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March 20, 2020
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UTS Building 01 Level 18

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text] Constructed in the early 70’s, Building 1 is a significant work of mid-century modernism, where structural expressionism along with robust and natural finishes are central to the architecture. The refurbishment strategy was to gather rooms around the central core; create open plan to the perimeter, and re‑expose the building structure.   This partial floor refurbishment combines a corporate aesthetic and is distinguished by subtle Chinese influences via an acoustic fretwork, as well the creative use of glass panels to enhance the visual connections between offices.   [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

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March 16, 2020
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UTS Building 10 FASS & FoH Upgrade Project

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Journey [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text] This project involved a large-scale upgrade of UTS CB10 for two key faculties, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) and the Faculty of Health – Nursing & Midwifery (FoH).   The new FASS & FoH occupants in CB10 are spread across seven floors with teaching labs for Science and Arts subjects; clinical labs for Nursing and Midwifery; general teaching and computing spaces; academic offices and executive offices for the FoH Dean’s Unit.   The Higher Degree Research students enjoy an Activity Based Environment (ABE) which maximises adaptability, flexibility and connectivity. This ABE set a new benchmark for future projects.   A significant element of the new teaching spaces and laboratories is virtual classroom technology. UTS FASS & FoH are at the forefront of virtual teacher and nursing training, with their classes and research extending globally beyond the physical classroom. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

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