Every school has its unique requirements. With this in mind, OLP was engaged to work closely with one of its resellers and architect Baade Harbour Australia to design, manufacture and install a locker/benchtop combination for Melbourne Girls’ College. The result is a contemporary looking, multi-purpose storage solution.

Melbourne Girls’ College is a leader in innovative girls’ education. They required some new lockers but also wanted a solution which would provide bench space for a breakout study zone. OLP worked with Baade Harbour Australia, an experienced and client-focused architectural practice, to meet these requirements.

The architect-designed locker/bench combination was built with a 13mm seasoned oak compact laminate benchtop including double-sided locker/benchtop units for some areas. The two-door lockers were designed with three different coloured doors to reflect the schools branding, made from 18mm Laminex board. They have been installed on a 100mm plinth and also feature a pad latch lock, and locker numbering for easy identification.

The lockers were installed on the third floor of the building which was undergoing a refurbishment. OLP worked closely with the builder to fit in with their tight schedule. The lockers were installed against ageing, old internal wall, which in parts contained window ledges which were more than 50 years old. For these areas we customised the benchtop on-site to ensure they fit under the ledges which were then caulked, resulting in a nice finish.

OLP’s laminate lockers offer several benefits:

• Laminate is impressively strong and damage resistant, making it ideal for schools.

• Laminate is easy to maintain and keep clean.

• The less porous a surface, the less likely bacteria will be trapped. Laminate performs well here, as the surface is non-porous.

• They look great!

Overall, we installed 188 two-door laminate lockers with a laminate benchtop, providing the school with 376 individual lockers and a breakout workspace.