Built for Learning: Cemintel Barestone and Surround Bring Resilience and Colour to Palmview State Secondary College
Stage 2 of Palmview State Secondary College was designed to support a rapidly growing student community while creating a cohesive, durable and engaging addition to the existing Queensland campus.
Delivered for the Queensland Department of Education by FKG Group, alongside architects COBiE Group, 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 seamlessly with the established campus aesthetic, the performing arts centre called for a more expressive architectural response. Positioned prominently at the corner of the site, the building was conceived as a beacon that would engage not only students and staff, but also the broader community.
To bring this architectural vision to life, the project team required external materials that could balance visual impact with the durability and low-maintenance performance expected of a busy secondary school. Cemintel Barestone® Original External and Cemintel Surround® in Maya and Whiteish Base were selected to create a resilient facade with a distinctive yet cohesive material palette.
Cemintel Barestone Original was specified in large-format panels to create a natural, monolithic concrete aesthetic across the building exteriors, semi-external circulation areas and corridors. Its understated grey finish and expressed dark joint lines complement the established campus while reinforcing the strong, contemporary forms of the new buildings.
For Senior Project Architect Stephen Cross, the material offered the visual simplicity the team was looking for, together with the resilience required in an education setting. “It won’t dent on impact,” Cross explained, highlighting the importance of selecting robust external materials capable of withstanding the demands of daily school use.
To introduce colour and definition at key points throughout the campus, Cemintel Surround in Maya and Whiteish Base was incorporated around prominent entry areas. The warm yellow tone of Maya closely connects with the school’s yellow-and-blue identity, creating a welcoming visual marker while strengthening the relationship between the new buildings and the wider campus.
The through-coloured nature of the Surround panels was also an important practical consideration. Because the colour continues through the panel, minor impact or surface damage is less likely to expose a contrasting substrate beneath. This made the product particularly well suited to the project’s need for long-term visual consistency and reduced maintenance in high-traffic areas.
Beyond their aesthetic contribution, the prefinished Cemintel products helped streamline construction on site. As Vera Ren, Project Engineer with Basic Interiors, explained, the panels removed the need for additional painting trades and the extended scaffolding hire that on-site finishing could require.
“Once it’s installed, it’s essentially finished.”
Vera Ren, Project Engineer, Basic Interiors.
This installation efficiency was especially valuable on a large and logistically complex project involving multiple buildings, substantial material volumes and frequent deliveries to the Sunshine Coast site. The selection of locally manufactured CSR solutions also aligned with the project’s sustainability objectives and the Queensland Department of Education’s preference for locally made products.
The combination of Cemintel Barestone Original and Cemintel Surround ultimately provided a facade solution that responds to both the architectural and practical ambitions of Palmview State Secondary College. Barestone delivers a restrained, concrete-inspired expression that unifies the campus, while Surround introduces warmth, identity and emphasis at key entry points.
The result is a resilient and visually engaging educational environment designed to withstand the demands of a growing school community. Bringing together durability, low-maintenance performance and a refined architectural palette, the facade helps the new buildings sit comfortably within the existing campus while allowing the performing arts centre to establish its own confident civic presence.
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