Westminster School opens new wing and reveals designs for next stage

New video reveals the next stage in of multimillion-dollar upgrades as the school unveils its latest additions, including family dinner tables.

Designs for a new cultural centre at Westminster School will be revealed on Tuesday at the same time as the school opens a new arts and media building.

The cultural centre aims to bring families into more contact with the school.

It will provide a safe study space so students can stay on after main school hours and allow families to share a meal on the campus in a 250-seat dining room.

“We hope it’ll bring back the forgotten art of sitting down for a meal and talking to the person across the table,” principal Simon Shepherd said.

Students in the creative arts class at Westminster School in the arts and media centre being opened on Tuesday. Picture supplied

“They won’t be allowed to have their phones out so it will reinvigorate the art of conversation.”

Parents will also be able to simply pick up their child after rush hour and after the student has eaten dinner with friends, including the school’s boarders.

Westminster School Principal Simon Shepherd

Mr Shepherd expects families to take up the option rather than have the uncertainty of whether the student has got home safely in the afternoon via public transport.

The cultural centre will face the main oval and also have a ground level cafe open to visitors. It will house a new library, information technology support, teaching spaces and quiet study areas.

The cultural centre and the arts and media centre are part of a $38m redevelopment of the Marion campus.

The school has also recently opened a new innovation centre and sports pavilion.

Governor Hieu Van Le will open the arts and media centre today.

Westminster School‘s new innovation hub is also part of the redevelopment. Picture: Mike Burton

“It’ll be fantastic to have him here, he’s regularly hosted our students when they’ve received Duke of Edinburgh awards,” Mr Shepherd said.

It will be used for creative arts, multimedia studies and production and for special academic support services.

The cultural centre is under construction but was delayed by the collapse of SA Structural which supplied steel for building projects.

Designed by architects Brown Falconer it is being built by Sarah and due to be completed early in 2022.