Educational Buildings Look Book: Tender Ideas

From tight budgets to the need for sustainable, durable, and high-quality materials, school tenders for new educational buildings can be complex and challenging – but increasing numbers of specifiers and contractors are achieving top marks thanks to an old-school solution: Perforated metal.

Since all schools are different and each project must reflect the unique needs of students, teachers, and the community, perforated metal is the ideal material for projects requiring a non-uniform yet cost-effective design approach.

Through pattern and hole customisation, perforated metal can be tailored to create distinctive, functional, and flexible educational spaces. Create large-scale logo signage, classroom screens, passive ventilation, or sun-shading, using the same versatile and 100% recyclable product.

Explore our project look book below, featuring five of our latest school case studies, to discover how perforated metal meets the unique challenges and strict requirements of public and private educational buildings, transforming schools into innovative, top-tier learning environments.

New Educational Buildings Case Studies: Perforated Metal in Action

Thuringowa State High School, Thuringowah, QLD: Giant Custom Signage

Click on photos to enlarge

Thurwingowa State High School’s new multipurpose Hall makes a big impact thanks to the huge custom perforated metal sign across the front. Working with project contractor Advantage Signs, we perforated aluminium panels with the school’s name, logo, and motto, plus the school House logos and large illustrations of the mascots – a Red Belly, Bowerbird, Goana, and Glider.

Installed as part of the school’s multimillion-dollar renovation, the new sign not only showcases the creative possibilities of perforated metal in an educational setting but also how considered choice of pattern can foster support, pride, and a sense of belonging amongst students and staff.

Pittwater House, Sydney, NSW: Fast Modernisation

Click on photos to enlarge

The task at Pittwater House school in Sydney’s Northern Beaches was to modernise its buildings without disrupting student learning. Perforated metal was the right answer, colourfully covering the dated brick classrooms and creating new outdoor learning balconies and connecting galleries.

We worked with contractors Grindley Construction and installers JM Engineering to help deliver the school masterplan, manufacturing over 470m2 of perforated panels ready for powder coating in the school’s colours.

The innovative use of perforated metal at Pittwater House shows its versatility as a quick, impactful, yet cost-effective solution to modernise old educational buildings.

Oxford Falls Grammar, Sydney, NSW: New Development Success

Click on photos to enlarge

Perforated metal was a classroom essential for Oxford Falls Grammar School’s ambitious ‘Field of Dreams’ project – a new development of extra learning and library spaces, a car park, and playing courts linked to the existing campus via a pedestrian bridge.

With the new building requiring a student-friendly sun-shading solution plus bridge and staircase panels, project contractors FCF Fabrication and Cowyn Building Group turned to our expert team to make the grade. For the sun-shading facade, we punched 3m-long aluminium panels in pattern 234 – a 6.4mm round hole design with a 40% open area to maximise sun and heat protection without compromising natural light and outlook.

The same panel specification was installed on the bridge and stairs for a cohesive scheme, with some panels curved to match the building form and school traffic flow. All panels were finished in Dulux Duratec ‘Desert Satin’ to match the school colours, ensuring the Field of Dreams project hit the mark.

Sydney Secondary College, Balmain, NSW: Upgrading Old Buildings

Click on photos to enlarge

What’s the quickest way to update degraded educational buildings? Perforated metal was again the correct choice at Sydney Secondary College in Balmain, which needed a budget-friendly solution to cover old concrete walls.

For the NSW Department of Education project, we manufactured over 330 perforated 3mm aluminium panels to bring the school up-to-date and provide weather resistance due to the school’s proximity to the Parramatta River. The complex project required 14 different panel specifications to meet the brief, including custom-made colour coating to provide an extended warranty of 25 years.

Canterbury South Public School, NSW: Smart Solar Shading

Click on photos to enlarge

Ensuring students learn in a comfortable environment is a project essential – and at Canterbury South Public School they’re using the sun to make it happen.

Students are warm in Winter and cool in Summer thanks to a sustainable gold-coloured perforated facade that’s tailored to solar movement. Working with the project contractor, we perforated panels in different patterns to either deflect or absorb the sun’s rays.

For the sunny north elevation, we used a mixed-hole pattern and small open area percentage for maximum protection without compromising natural light. Whilst on the shady west elevation, we used a classic round hole design with double the open area percentage for more light and warmth. The gold coating is the ideal finish for the school’s shining, new modern learning environment.

Expert Support for Educational Buildings Tenders

If you’re competing for contracts for public and private sector educational buildings, contact our team for expert help and support on (02) 9748 2200 or email sales@arrowmetal.com.au.

We are highly experienced in supplying the information you need for tender responses, making it easy for you to assess our products and prices. We also provide detailed specification packs and metal and pattern samples for quick reference. For more information about our support for specifiers, read our blog here. You can also download our brochure.

Browse or download our Perforated Metal Catalogue or Project Look Book for more perforated metal inspiration.

Stay in touch! Sign up to receive our monthly Newsletter.
Follow us: LinkedIn , Facebook,

You can also browse our Project gallery