Engagement Campus Masterplan Corio

From the outset, the Masterplan has been developed in a highly collaborative way. The project team was committed to listening, understanding and learning from our community. The purpose of this process was designed to:

• Understand and plan for ‘beyond effective practice’ learning and teaching experiences, building in adaptability for advancements in technology and pedagogy;

• Understand and imagine new sustainable systems for the School (physical and functional);

• Understand and plan for better ways of living on campus and creating communities that connect with place;

• Unite facilities and supportive functions of the School with the educational experience; and

• Understand and plan for mutually beneficial relationships with adjoining land, land uses and neighbours.

What we did

Engagement began with a substantial information gathering phase, including a series of site visits and building inspections, to develop a close understanding of the living and learning aspects of the campus, both regarding existing conditions and anticipated requirements. The project team then produced a map of the stakeholders needed for each engagement activity, with strategies tailored for each group of stakeholders.

• Surveys and Questionnaires: A sequence of surveys and questionnaires were undertaken, providing highly detailed information to inform the various Masterplan components.

• Wisdom Holder Interviews: In-depth interviews were conducted with a diverse selection of people, each occupying a different vantage point when looking at the past, present and future of the Corio Campus.

• Visioning Workshops: Online workshops that engaged broadly with more than 70 participants representing diverse stakeholder groups – staff, students, Support Groups, parent associations, OGGs, Council and Foundation Board – helped to imagine what was possible, stimulating creative conversations and guiding the development of a shared vision.

• CrowdSpot Survey: This interactive, online mapping survey captured specific, granular level feedback across the Corio Campus study area from a wide range of views and perspectives.

The second phase of engagement focused on presenting back to stakeholders what we had heard. Through a series of facilitated workshops, we also engaged stakeholders in detailed aspects of the draft Masterplan, including areas of agreement, sticking points and next steps in the process.

• Living, Learning & Enabling Workshops: A series of three themed workshops (Living, Learning, Enabling) presented engagement findings, initial Masterplan principles and tested proposed concept ideas with targeted stakeholder groups.

• Sensemaking Workshop: A workshop conducted with the School’s Executive and Leadership Team provided direction and insight to discern an appropriate pathway forward for the supported projects and sticking points.

• Council and Foundation Board Workshops: The draft Masterplan was subject to a process of testing principles, concepts, projects and prioritisation with the School Council, followed by a workshop with the Foundation Board to explore philanthropic opportunities.

What we heard

The broad range of voices we heard from expressed a desire to steer the Corio Campus towards a sustainable and cohesive future. There was a powerful alignment with the strategic direction of the School and the ability of the Masterplan to empower the strategic pillars (Adventure Education, Positive Education, Creative Education) and embody the strategic imperatives (Ethicality, Collaboration, Inclusivity, Progression, Substantiation). There was also interpretation of the campus as a defined series of precincts, neighbourhoods and relationships. Stakeholder engagement was augmented by the site analysis and building inspections, as well as place-based research and demographic mapping, exploring the history of Corio Campus and its current and future contexts. Community voice was supported by this research and analysis from the project team, which included architects, landscape architects, heritage and conservation consultants, engineers, sustainability experts, regenerative agriculture specialists, arborists and cultural heritage advisors. Throughout the stakeholder engagement process and site analysis, several design principles emerged as necessary focus areas for GGS, both as a school and as a town.

• Innovation: Innovative facilities for real-world problem solving and creative thinking.

• Sustainability: Moving ‘beyond sustainability’ to create the greatest potential positive impact.

• Connectivity: A people-focused network for moving around the campus.

• Legibility: Clarity of purpose and direction. A clear alignment of principles and physical assets. Honouring past, present and future.

• Cohesion: A place to live, learn and grow together. A welcoming environment for an inclusive community.