About the Building Connections project
In the next decade, Australia will build hundreds of new schools, yet schools are some of our most under-utilised assets: during and outside school hours, school facilities can accommodate community services and activities, but this is not common. The Building Connections: Schools as Community Hubs project was funded from 2019-2022 by the Australian Research Council Linkage Program and several Partner Organisations (see below), to inform better design and sharing of school infrastructure that improves education and strengthens communities.
- Download our How to Hub Australia advice sheets
- Read our book about Schools as Community Hubs
- Discover our other outputs
- Learn more about our research activities
Partner organisations
Research team
Our cross-disciplinary research team was drawn from architecture, education and urban planning. Members were based at The University of Melbourne, unless indicated otherwise.
- Associate Professor Benjamin Cleveland, Lead Chief Investigator
- Professor Janet Clinton, Chief Investigator
- Associate Professor Ian McShane, Chief Investigator (RMIT University)
- Associate Professor Clare Newton, Chief Investigator (retired)
- Dr Ruth Aston, Research Fellow
- Dr Philippa Chandler, Research Fellow
- Natalie Miles, PhD Candidate
- Hayley Paproth, PhD Candidate
- Robert Polglase, PhD Candidate (RMIT University)
- Carolina Rivera Yevenes, PhD Candidate
- Dr Sianan Healy, Project Manager (2019)
- Sarah Backhouse, Project Manager (2019-2022)
- Phuong Nguyen, Research Communications Coordinator (2019-2021)
- Rebecca Colless, Research Communications Coordinator (2021-2022)
Partner Investigators / representatives
- Simon LeNepveu, Partner, Clarke Hopkins Clarke Architects
- Paul Meldrum, Head of Learning Innovations, Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Parramatta
- Laurence Robinson, Director, Brand Architects
Stakeholders
How to Hub Australia
COMING IN 2023: The Building Connections team is developing a FREE, easy-to-read resource, packed with evidence and advice for policymakers, school leaders, and designers involved in schools as community hubs.
Is you local school a community hub? Could it offer more to students, families, and community members as critical neighbourhood infrastructure? How can we improve the design of school facilities and extend their use to support stronger communities and better education?
How to Hub Australia will provide expert insights, research-backed tips, and case studies from around Australia and overseas.
For further information, please email benjamin.cleveland@unimelb.edu.au
Schools as Community Hubs: Building ‘More than a School’ for Community Benefit
Members of the Building Connections team (Cleveland, B. Backhouse, S., Chandler, P. McShane, I. Clinton, J.M. and Newton, C.) edited/authored this 22-chapter book by international academics and practitioners.
Springer will publish it with open access in 2023.
For further information, please email benjamin.cleveland@unimelb.edu.au