St. Pauls Anglican School, Woodleigh campus

Golf Links Road, Baxter

Citation:

(To be revised)

History

History of the Complex
The architectural firm of Daryl Jackson and Evan Walker won a Royal Australian Institute of Architects (Vic) Community Design Award in 1976 for their design of school buildings for Woodleigh, St. Paul's Church of England Senior College at Golf Links Road, Baxter.

These buildings are located on the corner of Golflinks and Barretts Road.1

The Rotex Cinema in Montmorency won the bronze medal in that category but has since been defaced. Similarly the work of Brian Carter in South Melbourne and the Milgate Park Design in Bulleen won a citation in the category. The judges were Miles Lewis, John Cuthbert, Ross King, Bill Lutterall, Phyllis Murphy and Tim Colebatch, most being notable for one aspect or another in later life.

In the same period the RAIA developed a policy on the 'Preservation of Buildings and Urban Areas' (1975) which, among other things, noted the role of the awards programme as recognition of 'what work is excellent by contemporary standards'. The Chapter proposed to 'take a continuing interest in those buildings which have received awards, to collate and retain any information upon them which becomes available, to maintain and updated list accessible to the public, and in due course as these buildings become eligible for classification to co-operate with and make all material available to the National Trust'.

History of the School
According to Cheryl Vivian, Development Officer at the college, a St. Paul's School commenced in 1856 in a building still at the rear of St. Paul's Anglican Church in Frankston.

In 1970, it was decided to relocate the school away from the church. Land was bought in Seaview Road in Frankston and the Junior School moved there in 1972. A senior class began there in 1974 but plans were made to locate a new senior school elsewhere. The present Woodleigh site was obtained. The new senior school of St Paul's Church of England College opened as a co-educational school on the Golf Links Road site in 1975. It is thought to be of importance as one of the earliest co-educational independent schools in the State.2 The property has great heritage value for its 'semi-rural surrounds' as part of a Baxter landscape of 'small pastures and wooded areas where trees shelter well-established residences.'3

An aerial photograph shows the complex as it was immediately after the award was made. The teaching areas were set out as pavilion class rooms called 'Homesteads'. There were six built at that time, one of which has been replaced since in a related pavilion form and a seventh built to the original design. The north section of the administration building, the art and science blocks, basket ball and tennis courts, the hall and canteen were also built by the end of 1977. Other brick buildings have been added to the south of the complex to another design but relate in general scale and form.

Reputedly noted architect Greg Burgess was the project architect for the complex working for Jackson & Walker.

Description
This award winning architect designed school complex (Jackson, Daryl & Walker, Evan Architects P/L) is typical of the many notable school designs executed by this architectural firm, although not in concrete block as was typical for them. It may be compared with the contemporary but Brutalist inspired Princes Hill High School and the Methodist Ladies College library which suit their urban setting, in contrast to the timbered rural character of this design, well integrated in its native landscaping setting. There are still the rearing skillion steel-deck clad roof forms with their highlight windows which were trademarks of this firm at that time. The Jackson & Walker wings of the school are externally well-executed examples of an idiom which this firm perfected over an extended period.

Condition
This c1976 wings of the complex appear externally near original with later but related additions to the south of the complex.

Context
Set in native landscaping which alludes to its semi-rural domain.

Significance
Woodleigh has local historical significance as an example of a well-established district school which was an early example of a co-educational independent schooling in Victoria, this innovatory path being reflected in the school's adoption of the progressive nature of the Jackson & Walker architecture.

Architecturally the Jackson & Walker wing has strong associations with the firm, as one of the State's most respected design firms, and particularly the recognition given to the building by their peers, the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (Vic) in 1976 for a field of architecture which encompassed community needs in its design. This was only the second year of this category of award, evoking the rising community awareness of architects in that era. The RAIA conservation policy adopted at the same time was also a reflection of a heightened community responsibility.

Boundaries
The extent of the c1976 wings exteriors and nominally 5m from their perimeter.