John Cunningham Student Centre, Scots College, Bellevue Hill The John Cunningham Student Centre at Scots College represents a once-in-a-lifetime project that brings the College’s proud Scottish heritage to life. Designed by JCA Architects in the internationally recognised Scots Baronial style, the project transformed the existing Stevenson Library into a contemporary, multi-level facility with state-of-the-art amenities while preserving a sense of tradition and grandeur.

Bailey Interiors’ Role

Bailey Interiors were entrusted to deliver a wide range of bespoke plaster elements, manufactured on a large scale and to the highest level of detail, in line with the Baronial design. Key features included:

• Ornate coffered ceilings with custom plaster elements such as a waratah ceiling rose, arabesque banding, and unique cornice profiles.
• 99 Grand columns, each requiring up to 24 components for installation.
• Decorative domes with intricate band detailing and integrated LED lighting.
• Custom air grilles in varying shapes, designed for pitched frames.
• Rope mouldings, including radiused sections.
• A ceiling cone for a turret, curved bulkheads for lighting integration, and a textured barrel vault framing an arch window.

Challenges and Solutions

Working within the footprint of an existing building created significant challenges, particularly where design intent needed to be reconciled with spatial constraints. Bailey Interiors overcame these challenges through adaptability and technical innovation:

• Variable sizing: Coffered ceilings, columns, and air grilles required size adjustments to fit differing spaces. To streamline production, elements were standardised wherever possible, while still meeting architectural intent.
• Waratah ceiling rose: Height restrictions in some areas required modifications. By manufacturing the waratah in layered components, elements such as the leaves could be removed where clearance was limited, preserving the aesthetic without compromising function.
• Coffered ceiling patterning: The arabesque design was refined so all radiuses were consistent. This allowed straight banding sections to be cut and joined seamlessly on site, ensuring precision in installation.
• Column variations: Columns ranged in size from 450mm to 1350mm in depth, with some extending across two floors. Careful planning of flute and capital details minimised the number of moulds needed, balancing efficiency with craftsmanship.

Outcome

Through close collaboration, problem-solving, and an unwavering commitment to quality, Bailey Interiors successfully delivered a project of immense complexity and cultural significance. The John Cunningham Student Centre now stands as a landmark achievement, blending heritage with modern design in a way that will inspire generations to come.

Bailey Interiors would like to acknowledge that this project would not have been possible without the close collaboration with JCA Architects, St George Interiors, Taylor Constructions

• Location: Scots College, Bellevue Hill
• Client:St George Interiors
• Date:2024
• Categories:Innovative Plaster, Commercial