Last Friday night, the Australian Institute of Architects’ South Australian Chapter came together to celebrate the SA Architecture Awards, honouring the state’s brightest and most innovative projects from 2023.
Hames Sharley’s design for a new Wellbeing and Sports Centre at Scotch College’s Torrens Park Campus was honoured with an Award for Sustainable Architecture, as well as an esteemed named award, The Dr John Mayfield Award for Educational Architecture.
The Purruna Spencer Newton Centre was created with the vision of ‘replacing the old with the bold’, replacing the College’s existing gym and pool facilities which were deemed no longer fit for purpose.
Comprising a 25-meter swimming pool, indoor courts, flexible and multi-use classrooms, collaborative spaces, and outdoor teaching and gathering areas, the new Centre is accessible to both the College and the public, facilitating a real connection between students, families and the broader community through the platform of wellbeing.
True to the spirit of ‘wellbeing’, the Centre was designed to surpass sustainable design, aiming for regenerative design. These design principles enable the College to have a positive impact on local natural systems, in alignment with their broader goals and educational programs.
Collaborating with Senior Aboriginal Man Michael Kumatpi Marrutya O’Brien on the project name, Purruna recognises the traditional owners of the land on which Scotch College sits. Additionally, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri man Paul Herzich was engaged to provide design advice with a focus on local flora and fauna.
Integrating the new Wellbeing Centre with the Scotch College campus was a strategic endeavour to publicly and culturally benefit local communities and the school itself. With ‘wellbeing’ at the heart of the project, it was important that the new building responded thoughtfully to the surrounding context.
The jury commended the respectful approach. “The Hames Sharley team has skilfully considered a topographically and contextually challenging site,” they noted. “The design respects the residential interface to the south while celebrating the relationship to the established College to the north.”
The building now acts as a focal point and hub of the school with stunning views of the campus and the city, while enabling Scotch College to achieve innovative pedagogical outcomes that promote a lifetime of wellbeing for students, staff, and the wider community.
