Garth Boomer Building
A lesson in how education should be taught
The Garth Boomer Building is
UniSA’s new home of education at
Mawson Lakes, with facilities for
up to 1,200 students in the future.
Designed in two main sections by Guida Moseley Brown (GMB) Architects and Russell and Yelland Architects, in association, the four-storey office building is connected by a covered walkway to its two-storey teaching wing. The building is a brilliant complement to Mawson Lakes’ sophisticated sustainable development principles through its clever use of energy-efficiency and IT infrastructure.
Shades open out over windows and fresh air is circulated to minimise the need for air-conditioning. Offices surround comfortable, naturally lit meeting pods and laptop plug-in areas, encouraging openness and interaction.
A glazed student lounge brings in natural light while new workshop facilities aim to overcome a nationwide shortage of design and technology teachers. The building is close to primary and secondary schools, the new Mawson Centre and all the shops, cafés and restaurants at the Mawson Lakes town centre.
Garth Boomer (1940-1993)
The
son of a Littlehampton brickmaker who had left school at 14, Garth Boomer’s
enthusiasm, curiosity and originality saw him thrive in the public school
system.
After graduating from Adelaide Teachers College with honours, he worked as an English teacher and advanced to Deputy Principal. Garth then worked as an Educational Consultant before serving as Director of the Wattle Park Teachers’ Centre, Director of the Curriculum Development Centre, Chairman of the Commonwealth Schools Commission, Interim Chair of the Schools Council, and Associate Director of Education in South Australia.
Garth had a comprehensive knowledge of his field, but what stood out most was his ability to communicate that knowledge, inspiring countless teachers and children with his energy and passion. A lifelong champion of public education, Garth pushed boundaries with fun, irreverence and a healthy contempt for authority, exciting and startling people into new ways of thinking.
Garth Boomer was one of the most influential and admired figures in Australian teacher education and he continues to inspire more than a decade after his premature death in 1993.