Following the successful delivery of its initial campus, Palmview State Secondary College commenced Stage 2 to support its rapidly growing student population.
Delivered for the Queensland Department of Education, the expansion involved alterations to five existing blocks and the construction of three new facilities: a general learning building, a staff and technology building, and a multi-level performing arts centre.
While the learning and staff buildings were designed to integrate with the existing campus, the performing arts centre called for a more prominent architectural response. Positioned at the corner of the site, the building acts as a beacon for the school and wider community. Its large auditorium can also be divided into smaller spaces, supporting a variety of student activities, performances and community events.
Bringing this vision to life required interior systems that could meet demanding requirements for durability, impact resistance, acoustics and fire performance—while supporting construction efficiency and straightforward long-term maintenance.
The Challenge
Schools are demanding environments. Internal wall systems need to withstand everyday impacts while maintaining their appearance and performance over time.
Fibre cement sheeting has traditionally been specified in educational facilities to meet impact-resistance requirements. However, its rigidity can make installation slower and future repairs more difficult. The project team therefore sought an alternative that could meet the required performance criteria while providing the workability and repairability of plasterboard.
The development also presented several fire and acoustic challenges. Lightweight fire-rated systems were required between floors to help avoid unnecessary loading on the concrete slabs, while robust fire-separating walls were needed across the backstage areas of the performing arts centre.
Acoustic performance was equally important. The design needed to limit noise transfer between learning spaces and help manage reverberation within the large-volume performance areas.
Palmview Secondary College Campus Buildings
A complete solution with Gyprock EC08 Complete
Gyprock EC08 Complete in 13mm, and 16mm thicknesses was selected for internal applications throughout the campus.
Designed for demanding environments, the board helped the project team meet impact, fire and acoustic requirements within one versatile plasterboard solution. In selected applications, it also enabled the required performance to be achieved with a single layer rather than a conventional multi-layer plasterboard build-up.
This helped reduce the volume of material required and supported faster installation without compromising the performance of the completed system.
“We generally specify Gyprock EC08 for school projects because it delivers impact resistance alongside the required fire and acoustic ratings. Between learning spaces, where we need higher acoustic-rated walls, Gyprock EC08 allows us to install a single layer rather than a standard multi-layer plasterboard build-up, which saves us significant material and installation time.”
Vera Ren, Project Engineer, Basic Interiors
Gyprock EC08 Complete also made joint finishing more straightforward and provided an important lifecycle advantage for the school. Unlike more rigid internal lining materials, plasterboard can be repaired using familiar methods and readily available materials, helping simplify ongoing maintenance.
Lightweight fire protection with Gyprock Fyrchek
Gyprock Fyrchek systems were specified to help meet the project’s fire-performance requirements without the structural weight associated with masonry construction.
In the performing arts centre, Fyrchek-based wall systems were used to form tall, lightweight fire-separating walls across the backstage areas. The systems were also used for inter-storey spandrels within the multi-level buildings.
The lightweight construction helped reduce loads on the building structure, avoiding the need to increase slab thickness to accommodate heavier wall systems. It also supported efficient installation across the large and complex project.
Within the multipurpose halls, Gyprock Fyrchek was installed beneath the roof structure and combined with an additional perforated plasterboard layer. This construction contributed to the required acoustic separation between adjoining hall spaces while helping manage reverberation within the rooms.
Supporting compliant system design and installation
The CSR Red Book provided the project team with a trusted reference throughout design and construction.
Its detailed system information supported the selection and installation of complete, tested wall and ceiling systems with verified fire and acoustic performance. It also helped the contractor address critical construction details, including wall and ceiling junctions and acoustic flanking paths.
“The Red Book covers every aspect of our work, from the walls and junctions to the ceilings and acoustic flanking paths. It ensures we know exactly how to install the systems correctly.”
Vera Ren, Project Engineer, Basic Interiors
Ongoing guidance from CSR’s technical representatives gave the project team additional support when working through detailed design and installation requirements within tight construction timeframes.
The result
Gyprock systems helped the project team deliver durable, high-performing interiors suited to the everyday demands of a busy secondary school.
Gyprock EC08 Complete provided an efficient alternative to traditional fibre cement internal linings, combining impact resistance with the required fire and acoustic performance while simplifying installation and future repairs.
Gyprock Fyrchek systems delivered lightweight fire protection across the multi-level buildings and performing arts centre, helping reduce structural loads and support efficient construction.
Together, these solutions contributed to a comfortable, resilient and adaptable educational environment that meets the practical needs of students, staff and facilities teams—while supporting the architectural vision for the expanded campus.