Wee Waa High School

A Ministerial announcement made on 3 June 2021 committed to the construction of a new High School at Wee Waa on existing Department of Education-owned land, adjacent Crown land, as an urgent priority. Given the time constraints and remote location, the project needed to utilise a modern method of construction (MMoC) and prefabrication. SHAC undertook the initial masterplan and SSD processes, in alignment with the design parameters associated with MMoC, including standard grid, transportable modules, and repeated structures for stairs and ramps, whilst still ensuring a bespoke solution for the site that suited the specific local country, context and climate of Wee Waa.

The resulting design solution provides a courtyard layout of 2-storey buildings, opening an internal gathering space to the north. An indigenous cultural centre is placed at the front of the school, sporting fields and outdoor play space is located to allow community access as well as shared use with the primary school across the road. 

The Indigenous Cultural Centre; Binaalbaa, is an integral part of the school, anchored in the established native landscape. There is a dialogue between the library & Binaalbaa where the library is a connection to the world, and Binaalbaa connects the community to Country.