Murray Bridge High School redevelopment wins at SA Architecture Awards

Murray Bridge High School’s $20 million Sturt Building has been recognised as the best in the state at the 2022 South Australian Architecture Awards.

The middle school building, which officially opened in March, was announced the winner of the state award for educational architecture last Thursday.

Judges said it “provides engaging, welcoming, and intentional spaces, wrapped in an external form that celebrates the regional and community context”.

The building was designed by national firm Cox Architecture, who said it had been intended to improve, inspire and shape both the school’s students and the wider community.

“The school is directly visible upon entry into town from Swanport Road, so creating a streetscape that not only embodied the town’s essence, but complemented the existing features, was carefully considered and achieved through engagement with the community and stakeholders,” they said.

“The interior built form was inspired by the Murray River and its power in shaping the town and land around it.

“The river’s escarpments, perches and edges inspired formal and tactile design decisions; while internal features and material choices were derived from the interaction between earth and water along the river’s edge.”

The firm’s previous projects have included the redevelopments of Adelaide Oval and Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide, along with schools, theatres and stadiums around Australia and the world.

In a school newsletter on Monday, principal Ruth Mussger congratulated architects Adam Hannon, Zoe King and Cameron Keene for their achievement, “and for being such great people to work with”.

• More information: www.coxarchitecture.com.au.

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