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The future of healthier schools

The AITC was involved in a remarkable collaboration between Learning Environments Australasia (LEA), QUT staff and students, people from the Department of Education, Independent Schools Queensland, architects and designers in what is hopefully the first of many workshops around the future of happier and healthier schools.

Over 100 people came together at the prestigious QUT campus, overlooking the breathtaking view of Brisbane city, to discuss how schools could be designed to be happier and healthier.

To begin the collaborative event at QUT, two groups of young people from the Brisbane campus presented their project-based learning activity on school design. Putting their nerves aside, they talked confidently about features which would help create a better campus — including the use of an on-site gym.

Our young people also discussed what wellness means for them at school and answered a series of questions from the audience.

Dani Martin, Senior Associate, from Gray Puksand and Executive Director at LEA emceed the event and discussed the importance of intentionally designed learning environments. “The LEA exists to make better spaces for the future for kids. So that’s what we’re looking at — how do we plan for the next 20 years at schools to make them happier, healthier places for all students.” says Dani.

There are benefits from online learning that we could keep, “like being able to stretch across the world, and learn from people in America, Europe, in Asia, right from our home here in Australia.” Rhys Cassidy, Acting Campus Manager Brisbane, says the event was incredibly successful in “connecting with the QUT and opening up our young people’s eyes when collaborating with other people from different backgrounds. The event helped them also think more about future school design, and improving schools, for wellbeing — which tied in with their project-based learning.

“It was great to see the level of networking and discussions taking place between AITC young people, QUT students, staff and industry associates,” says Rhys.

Melissa Guyatt, Sessional QUT Academic says the event, “had been a great exchange of student perspectives, and industry wisdom, to frame up the what if question: ‘If we could design anything in our schools what would it look like?’.”

The group collaboration was thoroughly enjoyed by all, with everyone contributing to designing healthy schools of the future. “It was great to come out to QUT, work on different workshops, and see different insights,” commented one AITC young person.

There’s a lot of changes happening in the world at the moment and school is really becoming that centre for students to feel safe and comfortable — we want school to be the happiest and healthiest place it can be,” says Dani.

DELIBERATELY DIFFERENT.

Find out more about the future of healthier schools