Walking In the Light at Magdalene Catholic High School

Everbright Polycarbonate Canopy for Magdalene Catholic High School

Working closely with Alleanza Architecture, Danpal engineered and supplied an ethereal, translucent Everbright polycarbonate canopy for a 74-metre-long walkway in Magdalene Catholic High School.

Architecture forms the physical setting for our lives and livelihoods. It intrinsically impacts and influences our world view, inspiring an emotional connection to place and purpose. At Danpal, we strive for those emotions to uplift. With the belief that mindset is supported by setting, we are committed to designing a beautiful, sustainable built world for our communities. Magdalene Catholic High School was another treasured opportunity for us to create impactful architecture for the next generation of our society.

The walkway required a self-supporting translucent canopy to provide a protected passage through the school for students and teachers whilst still harnessing the pleasant ambience of natural light. Aesthetically, the design brief from Alleanza Architecture detailed the desire for a lightness of being, minimising any possible ‘bulk’ to the landscape, while the project timeline demanded a tight installation timeframe.

Working within the time-sensitive context of the build, Danpal was able to design, engineer and supply an Everbright polycarbonate canopy system that combined physical strength, material longevity, aesthetic elegance and rapid installation.

Working within the time-sensitive context of the build, Danpal was able to design, engineer and supply an Everbright polycarbonate canopy system that combined physical strength, material longevity, aesthetic elegance and rapid installation.

Everbright is renowned for its strength and spanning capability, without visual bulk; in fact, it is the cleanest looking product for providing natural daylight. The system utilised 74mm Everbright panels with roll-formed aluminium locking bars, precisely fabricated off-site with tapering sizes, to minimize on-site construction time. Its prefabrication was a crucial factor for the tight project timeline, supporting Steve-Watt Constructions with a rapid installation rate of more than 100 square metres per day.

The final solution achieved an ethereal appearance to give the roof a floating quality, creating a transparent, impact-resistant canopy that offered natural ambience with minimal framing. School clients appreciated Everbright’s proven longevity and rigidity, with the ability to support the weight of being walked on for future cleaning and maintenance.

Combining a powerful balance of strength and elegance, the Everbright polycarbonate canopy at Magdalene Catholic High School harnesses the energising, nourishing benefits of daylighting, with the added advantages of UV protection and weather protection throughout the year.

Danpal was honoured to provide Magdalene Catholic High School with a polycarbonate canopy solution that harnesses the environmental and physiological benefits of light architecture. Combining a powerful balance of strength and elegance, the students, staff and community members can access the energising, nourishing benefits of daylighting, with the added advantages of UV protection and weather protection throughout the year.

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