Sending your child to school in a skyscraper? Vertical schools could revitalize our cities

When we think of what Australian schools look like, we probably think of large grounds with one or two storey buildings. They are usually in suburban areas on relatively flat blocks.

But there are less conventional ways of building schools. Imagine that your child goes to class in a building that is taller than it is wide, and right in the middle of the central district of your city.

These already exist in Australia and are called vertical schools. While some people may approach the idea with trepidation, these schools may hold the key to revitalizing our cities, as well as creating engaging learning environments for students.

What is a vertical school?

Vertical schools can be defined by their height, which varies between four and 17 stories.

They are also defined by their location, which is usually inside the city, urban areas. They are often located in or near sites previously occupied by a traditional horizontal school. An example of this is the Fortitude Valley State Secondary Collegein the former Fortitude Valley State School you are in Brisbane.

This reflects wider population and housing trends. Where families once retreated to the outer suburbs, they are now back inner city life.

As Australian cities grow in density, many types of buildings, including schools, have to adapt to a vertical world. The design of a vertical school is as practical as adapting to the increasingly dense cities of Australia. Vertical schools make the most of compact sites that accommodate space needs in one or two connected buildings.

They include learning and teaching environments, administrative areas, and indoor and outdoor social and play areas. The architecture and visual appeal of vertical schools, like any civic building, aim to contribute positively to the scenic amenity of cities.

There are vertical schools in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. A few of these schools involved the renovation of old office buildings. St George’s Anglican Grammar School in Perth has been converted from a five-storey office building in 2015.

Another example is the Adelaide Botanic High School, which opened in 2019. The school converted a 1960s office tower into an innovative educational complex. A new upper section of this school was recently opened.

As in any school, learning and teaching in an inner city environment extends beyond the classroom. At Adelaide Botanic High School, 20% of the curriculum is planned in its CBD context. This includes collaborations with Adelaide Zoo, universities and local technology startups.

Research from the Thrives in Vertical Schools The project focused on the experiences of students in these schools. Students feel connected to the city, with views framed throughout the school via an open central atrium and many windows.

The students were part of the design process for these areas. This will improve the way vertical schools are designed now and in the future.

Doing good

Having schools in the CBD opens up a list of considerations on how to keep children safe in busy and crowded areas.

Walkability and the development of safety standards that support children to navigate the city as pedestrians are crucial. More green infrastructure and open public green spaces for play will be enjoyed by children and adults.

There should also be practical infrastructure plans for transport, public and private. An example of how this could look is the beginning of the school ladder. The school day at Adelaide Botanic High School is scheduled around peak hour demands. The start times are arranged after 9 o’clock so as not to add to the congestion.

More “end of trip” facilities in the city is another requirement. These are areas to support people who use active transport options such as bicycles, scooters or walking or running. Structures like these provide safe places to store bags and personal belongings.

Another practical need is safe outdoor meeting spaces in the city for students in case of fire or other emergencies.

All of these design considerations would make cities better for everyone, not just students, because they would help make cities safer and more accessible. They provide positive economic development opportunities and help to diversify the occupation of the buildings.

This, in turn, will generate new revenue streams for businesses, including cafes, restaurants, shops and other child-friendly recreation areas. Including children in the design of cities activates a new vitality, creating new experiences for all.

It breathes new life into the city

This economic activity is important because the continued popularity of work from home or hybrid work arrangements have contributed to the steady increase in vacancy rates in Australian CBD office buildings. Low employment rates have a direct impact on other economic activities in cities including hospitality and retail businesses.

The problem is shared internationally and was discussed at the World Economic Forum 2023. A solution suggested at this meeting was the conversion of vacant offices in apartments. However, the high costs involved in converting office towers into residential buildings could not provide much needed affordable housing.

For cities to become more resilient, our CBDs should be filled with buildings with a diversity of different purposes. Converting empty offices into vertical schools is one way to do this.

More broadly, more research needs to be conducted to understand children’s experiences of inner city enclosures. Children are rarely considered in the design of CBD, which are mainly designed for adults. With the rise of inner-city residential apartments and vertical schools, more inclusive urban planning practices are needed, especially for children.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.