To round out week 8 of our trip down memory lane, we’re reflecting on our project with Tec-NQ!

Tec-NQ is a secondary school and a Registered Training Organisation all in one, offering full-time apprentice training, school-based apprentice programs and other trade training to school-aged students. Their new boarding facility offers students from rural and remote backgrounds the opportunity to receive a secondary school education while also learning a trade.

Novum’s involvement with Tec-NQ was sparked by their desire to redevelop their Boarding Accommodation site in Rosslea. Shortly after a Concept Design was completed, the site was inundated by the 2019 Townsville flooding event, displacing students and staff that called the facility home.

In response, the design was further developed in consultation with the client, engineers and town planners to minimise the impact of future potential flood events, without compromising the home-like atmosphere, or learning and recreational capabilities.

The boarding accommodation houses students and caretaker staff, with an on-site kitchen, laundry, dining and recreational areas, offering 24 hour supervised care your students 7 days per week, focusing on student health, wellbeing, and preparation for the workforce.

Students are transported daily from the boarding facility to Tec-NQ’s main trade training campus and work experience opportunities throughout Townsville.

In addition to boarding, the new facility accommodates trade training areas including a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen for hospitality training, and a health training centre.

Stage 1 is now complete, and Stage 2 (which will expand the facility’s capacity to 80 boarding students) is due to commence construction in the coming years.

CLIENT: Tec-NQ

CLIENT TEAM: Julie Ward (Former CEO) & Ross Jorgensen (Principal)

LOCATION: Townsville, Queensland / Gurambilburra Wulgurukaba, Bindal, Nywaigi & Gugu Badhun Country

ARCHITECT: Novum

Project Director: Peter Boyce

Project Delivery Leader: Peter Edwards

Project Team: Jeffrey Smith, Ben Leighton & Joel Ridings

CONTRACTOR: Taylor Builders

CIVIL ENGINEER: Bligh Tanner and Northern Consulting Engineers

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Bligh Tanner

HYDRAULIC ENGINEER: Compass Consulting Group

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Ashburner Francis

MECHANICAL ENGINEER: Ashburner Francis

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Ashburner Francis

TOWN PLANNER: RPS

CERTIFIER: GMA Certification Group

QUANTITY SURVEYOR: Rider Levett Bucknall

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER: Douglas Partners

FIRE ENGINEER: Firecheck Consultants

ACOUSTIC CONSULTANT: Palmer Acoustics

ACCESS CONSULTANT: Architecture & Access