Spaces that inspire: Our summer renovations round-up

So, every year, our pupils return to school with something new to discover about their campus, whether it is a renovated building façade, new lights on a sports pitch, a fully remodelled dining hall or enhanced learning space. This year, schools across the Wellington College China group underwent some dramatic changes in the service of providing our pupils with a state-of-the-art learning environment. Today, we look at some of the fantastic work our facilities team did over the summer.

Summer renovations at our Hiba Academy Shanghai campus, for instance, improved the lunchtime experience for our pupils. The school’s dining hall was reconfigured to make better use of the space and improve the flow of the lunch queue. This ensures that our pupils have enough time to eat, unwind with their classmates and get back to class on time. Table and chair heights were adjusted to be more age-appropriate for our younger pupils as well.

A Hiba Shanghai PE classroom also received a much-needed upgrade. It now serves as a multi-sport facility. For the pupils’ comfort and safety, it is fitted with thoughtful elements like protective pads and sound-absorbing acoustic wood-texture panels.

No campus construction or renovation project exists in a vacuum, of course. Such work is subject to laws and regulations and therefore requires close coordination between government departments, partner enterprises, design firms and construction teams as well as our Central Office and campus facilities teams. Moreover, because these projects commence during the summer, our stakeholders must contend not only with hot weather but tight deadlines. 

Coco Li, Director of Facilities at Wellington College China, remarked: “Every summer, the projects are time-sensitive and labour-intensive. However, through meticulous planning, partnership, support and collaboration from multiple stakeholders, we have consistently surmounted these challenges. The results are evident for all to see.”

Wellington College Hangzhou’s renovations are a prime example of a successful collaboration. The school’s reception hall now blends the school's classic elements with modern design. The revamped history gallery honours Wellington traditions while providing a place for pupils to celebrate their achievements. 

Wellington College International Shanghai is another great example. Over the summer, the school updated its wayfinding signage. Not only did the project add a touch of British charm to the campus, but it also made the grounds much easier for visitors to navigate. The project also saw the complete renovation of the College’s main dining hall. With the help of British consultancy MYA, everything — from the layout and design to even the menu — underwent a complete overhaul. Pupils now enjoy a delicious and nutritious lunch in a fully modern space.

Additionally, Wellington Shanghai’s Secondary School now has several new Modern Foreign Language and Humanities classrooms, as well as several flexible study areas where pupils can collaborate on their schoolwork and cultivate the soft skills that will serve them well at university and beyond, like communication, teamwork and leadership. 

The renovations at Wellington College Tianjin prove that something so plain as a white wall can present a learning opportunity. Pupils and teachers worked closely with the facilities team to decorate a wall in the school’s science wing with the periodic table of chemical elements. This simple design element helps to reinforce classroom learning while also sparking further curiosity about the atoms that make up our universe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These upgrades are just a few examples of the excellent work our facilities team has done over the past few months. Over the summer, they upgraded security systems and upgraded outdated facilities at campuses across the Wellington College China group. As ever, it is an ongoing project that involves communication and collaboration across all our schools.