The Project
Since opening in 2011, Roma Mitchell Secondary College (RMSC) has offered education for students from Years 8 to 12. Due to the transition of Year 7 from primary school to secondary school, RMSC underwent an expansion in 2020-21. The schools $21 million redevelopment included the development of a new two-storey gymnasium facility, which includes a two-court gym built to international standards along with changerooms, sports storage, a canteen, café, and six new classrooms. The development also provides access to a variety of sports, and allows access from the street, oval, co-ed campus and girl’s campus.
Technical Solutions
WGA was engaged by Grieve Gillett Architects to provide civil, structural, geotechnical, and traffic engineering services.
The site where the new gymnasium is located is on a steep, sloping site which had been previously filled in with material ranging in depth from 0.4m to 2.3m. Beneath the fill was extremely reactive Hindmarsh clay. An environmental site contamination assessment was commissioned by WGA confirming that the existing fill material could be removed from site. All uncontrolled fill was removed and minimum of 1.2m depth of quarry rubble was imported, which resulted in a reduction in site reactivity and overall footing size. A reinforced fibre mesh slab on ground minimised floor thickness and joints, and maximised slab pours, which ultimately saved the client money and accelerated the construction programme.
Due to the large, column free, open court nature of the building required, a long span open web joist structural steel truss framing system, spanning approximately 40m was adopted. The trusses were pre-cambered in order to minimise overall total deflection and minimise truss depth.
The 2-storey administration and sports rehabilitation area incorporated a structural steel frame with composite floor beams, a trapezoidal deck concrete floor and structural steel framed roof over. This maximised off-site fabrication and accelerated the construction programme.
The civil stormwater design incorporated stormwater detention via an underground tank to significantly reduce discharge rates from the site during a storm event and reduce impact on the downstream stormwater infrastructure.
Client Focus
Officially complete as of April 2025, the school now accommodates an additional 180 students and provide opportunities for the school to connect with local community clubs and widen their selection of opportunities for students to stay active. WGA’s contribution ensured that the development met RMSC’s educational and community needs and the school’s aspiration of community connection and lifelong wellbeing. The new facilities create connections with the neighbouring Football SA Home of Football, and a versatile venue for after-school programs and external providers including coaching, physiotherapy, and nutrition support.
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