Wellbeing takes centre stage in school designs

When the word 'wellbeing' is mentioned, one will hardly think of schools or buildings. Instead, kale juices and yoga classes spring to mind. However, in recent times, it has become a key focus in the construction of schools right across Australia.

Simply put, schools are now increasingly designed for the physical and emotional wellbeing of students, to provide them with the best learning environment possible. The days of reading and writing in drab hovels could well and truly be over.

According to Mission Australia, nearly one in four young people aged 15 to 19 show symptoms of 'probable serious mental illness'. The World Health Organisation predicts that by the year 2020, more youth will be affected by depression than any other health problems. On the physical front, obesity remains a rampant issue and students are still lacking regular physical activity.

In an attempt to address these alarming statistics, a number of Australian schools are now investing millions of dollars in the design of school buildings and facilities to foster wellbeing.

As philosopher Alain de Botton said in his book - The Architecture of Happiness, “One of the great causes of both happiness and misery is the quality of our environment: the kind of walls, chairs, buildings and streets we’re surrounded by.”

Artemis Centre at the MGGS

Named after the goddess of strength and good health, the Melbourne Girls Grammar School’s newest facility is a physical embodiment of the school’s focus on student health and wellbeing.

Situated between existing school buildings and adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens, the 4500sqm wellness building includes a 25m indoor pool, multi-use indoor sports courts, mind and body studio, high energy studio, café, gymnasium, spin fitness studio, classrooms and an administration hub.

The centre was officially opened on September 1, 2017.

“It was critical for us as the architect to gain a comprehensive understanding of the school’s educational strategy, and the important role that this building will serve as part of the school’s 21st century learning environments,” says Matthew Blair, Principal of Australian Architectural firm BVN.

“The different activity zones interlock like a 3D Tetris puzzle with walls dissolved into glass so you can see through the building and feel like you are part of a larger community from the security of small spaces.”

The wellness centre also has three outdoor terraces, with the largest offering clear views of the indoor swimming pool during competitions. Small groups of students can gather in the outdoor terrace opening with views over the playing fields.

The overall shape of the building has been designed to maximise the amount of usable internal space while still allowing for a dramatic external amphitheatre.

Wenona and Lighthouse

Wenona secondary school in North Sydney has started a $40 million development dubbed the 'Archimedes Project', named after the Greek mathematician, physicist and inventor.

Due to be completed in late 2018, the school building was designed by architects, Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, and is a state-of-the-art Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teaching and sports hub.

The hub aims to empower young women and improve the student learning experience with its adaptable and collaborative classrooms and recreational facilities.

Across the other side of the country, construction is underway on a new $10.5million health and wellness 'Lighthouse Centre' at elite Perth high school, Presbyterian Ladies College.

The three-level centre has one level dedicated to mindfulness with sleep pods available.  There is also a level for health and fitness that has treadmills, rowing machines and even in-house physiotherapists.

Those with culinary ambitions can indulge themselves in cooking classes and a rooftop garden where students can grow their own vegetables. The centre also aims to help pupils learn coping and resilience skills.

Geelong Grammar

Geelong Grammar is forking out $8.5 million to construct a wellness centre at its Toorak campus in Melbourne, which includes facilities like a “Centre for Positive Nutrition”, a health café, a swimming pool and spaces for dance, mindfulness and meditation.

The school’s focus is on making its students’ wellbeing central to the school experience and enabling them to recognise their own character strengths.

The healthy eating centre will allow students to cook up nutritious meals using the food they grow in the campus garden.

The centre has achieved in excess of 50 per cent funding from the school’s community and fundraising will continue until the building is officially opened.

Rosebud Secondary College

Rosebud Secondary College on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula hopes to build a community Wellness Pavilion to help students, local youth, families, and the broader Mornington Peninsula community address personal challenges and achieve positive growth.

The centre aims to provide a tranquil space for meditation, counselling and support.

“Rosebud Secondary College is not alone in addressing challenging trends in concerning behaviours and depressive symptoms within our community,” says former principal, Andrew Nicholls.

“We want to support our students, and their families, and it’s with this in mind that we are taking a lead role in addressing these issues through the programs we can offer within The Wellness Pavilion for our school and community,” he says.

The cost of the pavilion is estimated to be $850,000, and the school is trying to raise funds through the community to help with the project. To date, the school has raised $210,000 via donations and pledges.

If all goes to plan, these construction projects could set the blueprint for schools across Australia, and we are one giant step closer to seeing a future generation of happier and well-adjusted adults.