Victoria's new vertical school takes learning to the next level

Constructed as part of the regeneration of the historic Fitzroy Gasworks precinct in Melbourne’s inner north, the Wurun Senior Campus folds around a prominent corner site so that it may integrate with the precinct’s future sports complex. The design takes advantage of this positioning, with the building form stepping up along its length to create a series of landscaped outdoor terraces.

Each terrace allows direct connection to interior learning environments to promote a diverse pedagogical offering as well as health and wellbeing through the provision of abundant natural light, airflow, views and recreation spaces.

The campus also features three multipurpose sports courts in an innovative stacked configuration with the ground-level sporting facility open to the public out of school hours – expanding the recreation options available to the local community in a dense urban setting.

Open in time for Term 1, 2022, the new senior secondary campus welcomed students from Collingwood College and Fitzroy High School, as part of a joint program that aims to expand the choice of subjects available in Years 11 and 12 and better meet student needs.

Designed to accommodate 650 students and equip them with 21st century skills, each level provides specialist settings for performing arts, art and design, technology, science, food, resources centre and sports. Connections between these specialist precincts and the general learning hubs break down traditional boundaries between subjects and encourage interdisciplinary learning.

Themed learning precincts provide specialised facilities and equipment optimised for the educational experience, with connections between levels and precincts to encourage curiosity, collaboration, creativity, and interdisciplinary learning across the curriculum. All areas are digitally enabled and physically flexible, allowing multiple configurations, from small group spaces to 360-degree learning, large workshops, and examinations.

The name “Wurun” (pronunced wuh-RUN) means river white gum in the language of the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung people, on whose traditional lands the campus is situated. In collaboration with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, First Nations knowledge, stories, heritage and culture are embedded in the design, through interpretive installations, signage, planting, colour palettes, a mural, story panels about Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders and artworks. First Nations consultation, historical content and interpretive design is by SHP, with First Nations artworks by SHP in association with Ash Firebrace, artist and First Nations artists.

The consultant team, led by GHD Design, ran an integrated architecture and engineering design process with Grimshaw which enabled the team to optimise structural efficiencies to support the landscaping on the terraces, flexible interior spatial planning, and lower the energy demand of the building.

The highly sustainable campus’s performative façade was modelled to optimise glazing, energy efficiency, shade, views and glare to create beautiful light-filled comfortable spaces. Natural ventilation of the indoor multipurpose courts was achieved by mechanical operable glazed louvres that link to a rain and temperature sensor, powered by the rooftop solar system. While use of mini plant and segregated high efficiency air systems throughout the school gave us the space to create a rooftop full-size sports court.

The all-electric campus is designed to integrate with the adjacent community sports centre (under construction), to allow direct connectivity with the school’s multipurpose sports courts on various levels.

The campus is an exemplar for a transformed approach to senior secondary learning, student wellbeing, community integration, vertical school design and First Nations engagement. Beyond its education function, the campus is serving as a community anchor and catalyst for the precinct’s renewal.