Designing for Universities – Part One
The demand for allied health professionals is at an all-time high, and with graduate placements limited and competitive, universities are finding new ways to prepare students for the workforce. Student-led clinics are highly specialised environments where education and healthcare intersect, delivering value for both students and the community. Our designers draw on their health sector experience to ensure these spaces are accurate, immersive and aligned with real-world practice.
This expertise allows us to anticipate where the sector is heading and embed current industry thinking into each space. Working across sectors strengthens this approach, enabling us to translate proven ideas from commercial and healthcare environments into specialist education settings that are authentic, forward-looking, and aligned with the goals of our university clients.
What are student-led clinics?
Student-led clinics are university-affiliated spaces where final-year students and recent graduates gain hands-on experience under the guidance of qualified professionals while working with real clients. They have become essential stepping stones between study and professional practice across a range of disciplines, whether complementing coursework or bridging to graduate placements. While they can take many forms, the focus here is on-campus clinics that integrate into the traditional university setting.
Above: Torrens University – The Practice Wellbeing Centre – Western Herbal Medicine Dispensary
Why do they matter?
For students, these clinics provide an opportunity to apply classroom learning in real-world settings, translating theory into hands-on experience. Beyond clinical training, they also develop skills in professional communication, administration and teamwork, while contributing to their community. For the wider community, these clinics increase access to affordable healthcare, helping to address critical service gaps. For universities, they support the development of well-rounded graduates who meet industry expectations.
Above: Theory, Practice & Application Diagram
The Practice Wellbeing Centre – Torrens University
Above: Torrens University – Chinese medicine dispensary
Torrens University’s The Practice Wellbeing Centre is a student-led clinic that offers services in Naturopathy, Western Herbal Medicine, Chinese Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, and Myotherapy. Situated within one of Melbourne’s iconic heritage buildings, 196 Flinders Street, the clinic establishes its own distinct identity and branding within the university campus.
The design creates a space that is welcoming to the public, supports student engagement, and reflects contemporary healthcare environments. The refurbishment includes 20 clinical consultation rooms, two dispensaries, debriefing rooms, classrooms and workpoints all designed to support both theory and practice. The environment is split into two zones, learning and clinic, with a clear separation that ensures students experience an authentic health setting.
Above: Torrens University – Clinic and Learning Spaces
The two dispensaries are lined with a range of herbal medicines and draw on the curated aesthetic of a modern apothecary. A timber portico defines the entrance, offering a clear point of arrival for the public and signalling the transition into a working clinic for students. A soft material palette and abundant natural light enter through tall heritage windows, creating an atmosphere of calm and focus. Venko’s design ensured heritage features of the campus remained prominent, ensuring stained glass windows, generous ceiling heights, and heritage-protected cornices had space to breathe.
Above: Torrens University – Clinic planning diagram
Real World
Our work with Alfred Health places us in an ideal position to design authentic health environments for tertiary clients. We’ve designed two mental health clinics for both adults and children. The children’s mental health clinic (pictured below) aims to soften the space between our youth and the health professionals dedicated to their care. Alfred Health provides mental health services to children and young people experiencing a variety of health conditions, and to their families.
We have a growing health portfolio and have an upcoming project for the Royal Children’s Hospital. Our industry knowledge informs our design decisions in the education sector and ensures students have access to industry-standard spaces they can expect in the real world.
Above: Alfred Health – Mental Health and Wellbeing Service Clinic.
Student-led clinics strengthen learning and workforce readiness by bridging education and professional practice, while also delivering value to the community. As demand for skilled allied health professionals continues to grow, these spaces play an increasingly important role in developing confident and capable graduates.
Read more on this series at the links below:
- Introduction – This Way>
- Aging Assets & Adaptive Reuse – Monash University – Coming Soon
- Simulated Training Laboratories – Torrens & Charles Darwin University – Coming Soon
- Engineering Spaces – Victoria University – Coming Soon