Light Her Path
Why Redeveloping Wilkinson House Matters
SCEGGS’ dense, urban location means that every square metre of our campus must pull its weight. Wilkinson House is a material part of our campus but is increasingly constrained in its ability to evolve and be reinvented for use as a 21st century learning facility. Nearly 10 years after our last major capital campaign, it’s time to breathe new life into Wilkinson House!
97 years of history
Wilkinson House has a long history of accommodating Sydneysiders since its completion in 1928. Originally known as the Gwydir Flats, it comprised twenty affordable flats and four garages. Then in 1962, SCEGGS acquired the building to serve as a boarding house before its current life as a senior educational centre.
Designed by Emil Sodersten, the building is representative of the use, at the time, of an eclectic collection of architectural styles, displaying references to inter-war Mediterranean, Spanish Mission and Georgian Revival influences. Sodersten achieved fame as the architect responsible for the City Mutual Life Assurance Building in Hunter Street in Sydney’s CBD and also as the architect, jointly with John Crust, of the Australian War Memorial.
Current constraints
We value the contribution of Wilkinson House to the heritage of Darlinghurst, but its layout as twenty individual flats with balconies and bathrooms makes for irregular classrooms and a range of awkward and little used spaces. Its narrow, economical staircase heightens the hustle and bustle as students and staff move in and out of classes.
The challenge
Wilkinson House is a significant part of our learning spaces. Wedged in a vibrant dense urban setting, Darlinghurst is the connection and context between the girls and the world around them and we wouldn’t have it any other way. But the challenge is to ensure that every part of SCEGGS pulls its weight in contributing to the fast-evolving needs of students and teachers.
The school cannot go up or out, it must make every square metre count.
Light Her Path Capital Campaign
Reinventing Wilkinson House is a key part of the Light Her Path Capital Campaign, launched this term to draw on the generosity and resourcefulness of the SCEGGS community to reimagine this vital part of the school’s footprint.
Unlike many other schools’ fundraising campaigns, there is no proposed expansion of the student body to add to the revenue of the school and its funding capacity, and there is also no term-by-term contribution to a building fund. Accordingly, it is important that the SCEGGS community supports this campaign.
The campaign is seeking to raise $20 million:
- $12 million this year to ensure we can bring the new designs for Wilkinson House, melding heritage and function, to life
- a further $8 million to expand SCEGGS’ scholarship program from the 35 girls currently supported by means-tested scholarships.
We invite every person in our community to give as generously as they can.
See the proposed plans for Wilkinson House on our website. You may also pledge to the Light Her Path Capital Campaign or call the SCEGGS Development Office on (02) 9332 1133.
The Light Her Path Committee
