St Mary’s Catholic College – Hugh O’Brien Centre

Redevelopment of the Hugh O’Brien Centre (HOB) was identified by St. Mary’s Catholic College (SMCC) as a priority project of their building infrastructure master plan.  The existing building was significantly altered and extended to create over 3000m2 of flexible teaching space on two levels. 

The functional areas include a large multipurpose hall with a seated capacity of 1200 people to act as the focal point of the College community and culture.  The Mujum Mundu lecture theatre opens onto the hall and provides seating for an additional 200 people.  Other key spaces include GLAs, instrumental practice rooms, servery, lobby and associated amenities. State of art audio visual services are seamlessly integrated throughout.

The HOB facilitates a multitude of student centric teaching environments with a strong connection to the ‘green heart’ of the campus.  The aesthetic and materiality are consistent with other recently completed projects at the site.  The building is a benchmark facility within the Diocese of Cairns and broader community.