Sustainability, shade and beauty at Newington College in Sydney
Newington College is a day and boarding college for boys, located in Stanmore – an inner-west suburb of Sydney. It is one of the six founding members of the Great Public Schools (GPS) and widely recognised as one of the leading independent boys’ schools in New South Wales.
In 2018, Newington College engaged Group GSA in Sydney to create a new front entrance forecourt. As well as providing visual appeal from the school to the street, the project aimed to provide students and parents with a shady space to meet. It also sought to create synchronicity between the entrance and the expansive gardens that thrive beyond the school gates.
As a school with a strong reputation for sustainability, it was important that Newington College used environmentally-friendly solutions to bring the project to fruition. That’s where Citygreen came in. Citygreen worked with Group GSA, together with Creative Nature Landscape Services, to deliver a stunning entrance using the Stratavault system.
Stratavault is made from 100% recycled polymers, ensuring maximum green building contribution. This was important to Newington College, who already have several sustainability measures in place, including solar panels and an almost paperless campus.
As well as being environmentally-friendly, Stratavault offers a range of benefits that added value to the project:
- Incredible strength – 100% stronger than other soil cells
- Fast to install – modules snap together quickly to form an interconnected matrix
- Easy to assemble – no zip ties, screws or ground spikes are required
- Easy to maintain – increased apertures permit larger conduits, pipes and aeration systems
- Durable – no steel components, therefore no rusting or corrosion
- Effective – delivers maximum soil volume and passive irrigation of trees
Ultimately, it was Stratavault’s ability to ensure the trees would grow to maturity that made it the best choice for this project. By delivering over 94% of total soil volume for healthy tree-root growth, Stratavault has a proven track record of success in heavy hardscaped areas, such as the one at Newington College.
As Ben Kingsnorth from Creative Nature Landscape Services said, “Citygreen’s products allowed us to create uncompacted growing space for the roots of trees underneath the proposed concrete slab.” He added that the “easy to use system and really helpful staff made the whole installation process seamless.”
Since installation, the trees have flourished, achieving outstanding canopy growth and adding a new dimension to the entrance of Newington College. The shade and beauty provided by these trees will be enjoyed by staff, students, parents and visitors for many years to come.
