Inner Sydney High School

Direct Client Schools Infrastructure NSW
Builder Hansen Yuncken
Architect fjcstudio
Value $110M
Year 2010
Location Surry Hills, NSW

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Partnership

Delivered in partnership with architects fjcstudio and builders Hansen Yuncken, Inner Sydney High School is one of Sydney’s first vertical schools, situated in the busy inner-city suburb of Surry Hills.

This highly complex project demanded meticulous planning and seamless coordination across the entire project team to bring the innovative vision to life.

Project

To overcome the space limitations typical of inner-city developments and meet the demands of a growing community, the new 14-storey vertical high school was designed to accommodate 1,200 students. The purpose-built facility features flexible learning spaces that support technology-rich environments and an evolving curriculum.

Project features include:
• 47 secondary teaching spaces across the heritage buildings.
• Spaces that are engaging and supportive for students and teachers.
• Five ‘STEM’ focused floors with facilities for music, food technology and visual arts.
• Multiple sporting and recreational spaces and shared use of Prince Alfred Park.
• Built with principles of energy efficiency and ecologically sustainable development (ESD).

Delivery

This project challenged our team with a variety of complex technical issues, including space constraints, heritage considerations, and the protection of existing fig trees. We also tackled extensive sewer and stormwater infrastructure upgrades, met strict acoustic requirements due to the site’s proximity to major roads, and designed large clear-span structures to support the sporting facilities — including a basketball court strategically located in the basement to provide community access on weekends.

Early collaboration between our vertical transport team and Schools Infrastructure NSW allowed us to analyse student timetables and movement patterns, enabling us to develop a logistical solution for efficiently moving 1,200 students throughout the building.

Impact

Inner Sydney High School brings a new era of education to Sydney. Designed for 1,200 students, this vertical campus combines flexible, tech-enabled learning spaces with cutting-edge STEM, arts, and sports facilities — all while opening new amenities to the wider community.

Sustainable, innovative, and future-ready, it sets a new standard for city schools.