Sydney Conservatorium of Music

The project consisted of a complete re construction around the original historic Government Horse Stables of a new Conservatorium High School, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Verbruggen Concert Hall and administration complex. The whole building straddles over the eastern Sydney underground railway tunnel tube. The project required that the existing attached fibro and timber high school be demolished. The site was subject to thorough archeological digs and many artifacts were uncovered including metal chattels, leather boots, convict hand dug wells and circular sandstone block drains now preserved and displayed under glass in the new construction. Vibration and noise from rail tunnel was eliminated thorough acoustic attenuation and the new concrete high school sits on special rubber vibration pads.

Construction was not to disturb any Royal Botanical Gardens area nor established plantings. Project was predominantly underground with acoustic and vibration attenuation for all building services near any ‘quiet rooms’. A landscaped public garden and walkway was constructed on the roof. As Arup Hydraulic and Fire and eventually Building Services Project Manager, delivered conceptual and scheme design, estimates, detail design, tender analysis, tender negotiation, tender selection and site supervision working closely with the Architect and the client.

Hydraulic services engineering included sewer, hot and cold water, roof plumbing, storm water drainage, OSD, sub-soil drainage network, sanitary plumbing, trade waste and three separate sewer ejection systems as well as fire hydrants, hose reels and sprinkler systems, alarms and detectors. Unique compressed air sewerage ejectors were installed as an underground sewer well storage and pumps was not an option the client would support. This was the first major building in NSW with a 100mm bore flexible polypropylene welded piped potable water system and to overcome vibration and velocity sound transmission through the use of smaller engineered pipe sizes. Undertook the responsibility for project management and programming works of after hours diversions of Authorities 150mm gas, sewer and water mains across major Sydney street and intersection, underground harbour and bridge freeway whilst maintaining the services to Government House as this was mandatory. The project was very successful with a supportive Architect and client. The services engineering on this project was the eventual winner of an ACEA Building Services Award for the year.

Client: NSW Department of Public Works
Architect: Jackson Dyke Architects
Photo: Creativity by Richard Drew