Adelaide Botanic High School Expansion Officially Opened
Following the success of the initial development, the expansion increased the school’s capacity by 700 students, bringing the total student capacity to 1950 students.
The expansion of Adelaide Botanic High School (ABHS) was officially unveiled on Thursday at an event held within the school’s new South Tower. The milestone further reinforces the school’s standing as a benchmark-setting institution in Australia’s public education landscape.
The event was attended by past Principal Alastair Brown and current Principal Sarah Chambers, who were joined by the Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas, and the Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer.
COX Director, Zoe King
It was wonderful to reunite with the people who brought this project to life, including team members from Lendlease, the department, artist Tony Wilson, and of course, former Principal Alastair Brown. We also heard from those who will carry it forward, current Principal Sarah Chambers, who spoke passionately about the school’s power to create change for young people, and the students themselves, who clearly love their school and all it offers.
COX Architecture and DesignInc were originally awarded the design contract for ABHS in 2015. The initial project involved transforming the former 1960s Reid Building into South Australia’s first vertical school. Completed in 2018, Stage 1 received widespread recognition, earning accolades such as the Dr John Mayfield Award for Educational Architecture, the Robert Dickson Award for Interior Architecture, and the Derrick Kendrick Award for Sustainable Architecture.
Following the success of the initial development, COX was again appointed in 2022 to lead the design for the school’s expansion. The new development adds over 9,000 square metres of learning areas and accommodates an additional 700 students. Drawing on insights from the original project and through extensive community engagement, the expansion builds on ABHS’s progressive pedagogical approach and architectural identity.
COX Director, Adam Hannon
The new South Tower reveals itself behind a veil of trees, nestled in one of Adelaide’s most vibrant knowledge corridors. With the Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Zoo, Lot Fourteen, the University of Adelaide, and the Riverbank all within reach, the school is deeply embedded in a living network of learning, research, and biodiversity.
Designed as a seamless extension of the original building, the South Tower continues the school’s architectural narrative. Like its predecessor, it is open and transparent, offering glimpses into the life of the school. Inside, the expansion introduces a new library, performing arts centre, gymnasium, administration areas, and an array of flexible learning environments. While it shares many of the same design principles as Stage 1, Stage 2 reflects a shift, shaped by key lessons from the school’s first three years of operation.
COX Associate Director, Gianni Francisco
The feedback we received from students and teachers during the first stage of Adelaide Botanic High School was invaluable. It highlighted the need for quieter, smaller, and softer spaces – environments that support focus, wellbeing, and flexibility. Designing learning spaces that reflect the needs of contemporary education is deeply fulfilling, and the insights we’ve gained here continue to influence our thinking across a wide range of building types and scales.
The design is anchored by a conceptual evolution of the school’s original biophilic framework, The Living System. First established in Stage 1, this philosophy imagined the school as a place that grows, adapts, and evolves. Stage 2 builds on that vision with the concept of the New Living System, grounded in two core ideas.
The first is Interior as Ecosystem—where spaces are designed to function like living systems, with rhythms, flows, and materiality that mirror nature’s interdependence. The second is Space as Possibility—a belief that architecture should flex and respond to support a spectrum of learning modes, from quiet contemplation to energetic collaboration.
The result is a school where learning is visible, respectful, celebrated, and ever-evolving.
