In 2020, St Margaret’s unveiled a multimillion-dollar state-of-the-art new sports and wellbeing facility transforming one third of the school campus.
The world-class precinct features a water polo sized heated swimming pool with two 50m lanes, tennis courts with lights, gymnasium with an oak sprung floor, a strength and conditioning gym, an indoor climbing wall featuring seven belay stations and 76m2 of climbing, a dedicated ergometer room to support rowing and modern health and physical education classrooms.
The precinct is an educational environment designed to inspire, develop and build the health and wellbeing of students, important priorities for the school which boasts a 125-year tradition of holistic education nurturing and developing students’ physically, mentally, spiritually and academically.
An important outcome of the facility was to enhance connection, a key influence in the enhancement of student wellbeing.
Award-winning architects Blight Rayner delivered on the design brief creating this sense of connection with moveable walls, and an indoor/outdoor flow afforded by an enormous panel lift wall which connects the indoor gymnasium to the outdoor tennis courts.
The architecture creates an abundance of natural light into the precinct, fulfilling the school’s philosophy to be more sustainable and the design also incorporates green backdrops with open, flat green spaces and vertical greenery.