Tremayne Building

Prime Constructions delivered the transformation of the Tremayne Building at Loreto Kirribilli, converting a former backpacker hostel into a contemporary education and visual arts facility. Completed in 2011, the $5.3 million project formed part of the school’s long-term campus redevelopment and demonstrated the potential of adaptive re-use within a sensitive heritage setting.

The existing five-storey structure was completely stripped internally, with all internal walls and floors removed while retaining the original external walls. Within this preserved envelope, four new floors were constructed to create a modern learning environment comprising classrooms, visual arts studios, and specialised photographic dark rooms. Behind the main building, a separate three-storey hostel was also repurposed into staff offices and additional art rooms, further expanding the school’s teaching facilities.

The project required careful coordination, including archaeological investigations that revealed sandstone and brick footings dating back to the 1860s, linked to the original Tremayne estate. Now known as the Marian Centre, the completed building provides 11 state-of-the-art teaching spaces and stands as a successful example of complex refurbishment and heritage-sensitive construction delivered by Prime Constructions.