Sunshine Coast Grammar School

In recent years, Sunshine Coast Grammar School has engaged Tonkin to provide structural and civil engineering services for several new buildings across the school campus.

To facilitate an increase in student capacity and modernise the school’s facilities, Sunshine Coast Grammar is embarking on a staged redevelopment program. Tonkin has undertaken structural and civil design of the now complete early years precinct, as well as a new classroom block, and new canteen and café building. The new early years precinct was completed in 2022, and two new buildings are currently in the design phase – a new classroom building as well as a cafeteria.

Tonkin's structural and civil engineers worked with the school and wider project team to design a contemporary teaching and learning environment with consideration of Queensland weather patterns, the environment, and the need for collaborative spaces for teachers and the growth of the school.

The new early years building boasts four classrooms, play space, ancillary amenities, staff space, staff workstations and offices. Tonkin also provided civil engineering for the areas surrounding the new building, including planning and design of a new carpark.

Construction of the new three-storey primary school building and cafeteria is expected later in 2023.

Sunshine Coast Grammar needed building solutions that will cater for student capacity in both the short and longer term. Tonkin’s engineers worked closely with the school and architect to develop structural solutions that enabled the facilities to have future flexibility.

For example, while the prep building only required four classrooms in the short term, the school was conscience that in the longer term, more classrooms may be required.

The outcome is a building that has four classrooms on the upper level, with an open under croft below. In the short term, the area will be used for outdoor play and learning, and in the longer term, if required, the spaces can be turned into classrooms. 

Facilitate this, Tonkin designed a ‘sacrificial’ concrete slab. The slab slopes to allow water runoff, and in future, it could be easily removed and replaced with a completely flat surface if the areas are turned into classrooms in the future.

Our structural and civil engineers’ expertise continues to play an important role in designing contemporary learning spaces that will benefit students at Sunshine Coast Grammar School for many years to come.