An innovative school design in East Sussex puts wellness at its heart
Designed by Adam Richards Architects, St. Raphael’s Health & Wellbeing Centre at Mayfield School in the UK proposes a new typology that brings together healthcare and teaching
A new wellness centre at a school in East Sussex, UK, brings a new take on both education and healthcare architecture –welcome to St. Raphael’s Health & Wellbeing Centre at Mayfield School. Designed by the award-winning Adam Richards Architects (the studio behind the Wallpaper* House of the Year in 2020, Nithurst Farm), the project combines 'medical treatment, counselling and teaching' within a single, mindfully designed building.
Tour the Mayfield School's new wellness centre
The architecture team was called upon in 2020 to bring the architectural provision for the Catholic boarding and day school into the 21st century. Their task was to work with St Raphael's to reinforce and facilitate the institution's pastoral care goals, which span both the physical and mental health of its pupil body – more than 350 girls.
Mindful of the school's restored medieval palace context, the architects worked on replacing the school’s former infirmary with a new volume, inspired by Renaissance fortifications and medieval monasteries. The new structure offers an abstracted iteration of these historical typologies, while featuring playful details - curves, unusual openings and pops of colour - which are a bit of a signature move for the practice.
Built to emphasise both wellbeing and sustainable architecture, the new structure is made predominantly of a cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure and a natural limestone brick masonry wall. A secluded 'secret garden' at its heart provides an important green element.
'Across the UK there is a growing need for spaces that support young people’s mental and physical wellbeing in an integrated way. With St. Raphael’s, our ambition was to create a building that is both technically progressive and deeply contextual, while responding to the historic setting while expressing a confident contemporary identity,' says studio founder Adam Richards.
'The project demonstrates how architecture can support wellbeing. Natural materials and soft daylight create a calm atmosphere, while the plan balances privacy with openness and connects every room to light, air and garden space. Sustainability is embedded throughout: the CLT structure lowers embodied carbon, the limestone can be reused, and the building is fully electric. This is a building that speaks to people’s hearts; it's open and welcoming, but also safe and consoling.'
