The University of Melbourne recently selected six finalists for the second phase of designing the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning building. The new building will consist of educational facilities for staff and students, with a total floor area of nearly 18,000m2. The competition attracted 133 submissions from more than 15 countries around the world.
The six selected practices after the break.
The six short-listed finalists are:
- Denton Corker Marshall Pty Ltd
- Diller Scofidio + Renfro
- John Wardle Architects & Office dA
- KoningEizenberg with William J Mitchell and Gehry Technologies
- McBride Charles Ryan
- Sauerbruch Hutton with NH Architecture
On September 30, 2009, the winning architecture firm will design a vibrant educational environment that will inspire architecture, building and planning students, researchers and academics.
To read more visit www.abp.unimelb.edu.au/competition, where regular updates about the competition will be posted.

aparently 5 pritzker winners entered and weren’t shortlisted…and 7 stirling winners….or something like that.
man this was never going to go international, Melbourne Uni will go to their usual conservative alumni and keep it as boring as they can only achieve, it will be DCM all the way and I wouldn’t be surprised if they have already made that decision are wasting all the other entrants time, that would be typical of Melb Uni
@ Nick
DCM has never won a single Melb. Uni job. So how do you figure that?
J
Interesting, just a question….RMIT or Uni of Melb.? Have applied to both for Masters program…thoughts?
Jay,
RMIT would be my choice. Seems to be a much more diverse and rigorous program.
I didn’t get into either but that’s another story……..
I suspect it will be one of the 3 Melbourne architects who win though. Hope it is McBride or Wardle. Love their work.
@JKL, I’ve been involved in the Melbourne system for some time, at both sides (RMIT and Melb. Uni) and Melb. has always leaned on the side of the conservative right wing (this is demonstrated not only in the students work but also in the graduates of the program). The history of DCM in Melbourne fits perfectly with the Melb Uni model. I know that this is an assumption that they will win but this history heavily suggests a match made in heaven.
NO!!! No local architects please! No bright yellow, orange sticks in the beautiful Melbourne Uni campus please! An architecture school should reflect the ambition and aspiration of an architecture student, and therefore the studio environment should reflect as such- an architecture school should be an inspiring place to be in, and it should also reflect the zeitgeist of the day. I have seen the ICA Boston and the Alice Tully Hall by Diller Scofidio & renfro, and they are avant garde architects worthy of Melbourne Uni!
great to see internationals on the shortlist at all!
(UTS come on!!)
So does anyone know if the “winning entries” have been posted?
it was an expression of interest for stage one…no design.
any suggestion that the decision is already made is pretty silly….the uni has changed a lot over the last few years particularly with tom kvan in charge of the faculty.
i think there’ll be an interesting array of ideas from the 6 for the next stage.
I am quite impressed with the list of finalists. There are some fantastic firms and great partnerships listed. I look forward to seeing the proposals regardless of who wins.
To Melbourne School of Design:
This is your only chance to MAKE yourself BIG out there. After studying in this shabby building for 5 years and after graduation, I went to A LOT of schools of architecture and guess what?? We are REALLY BEHIND! The building is a bad, bad representation of the school. So please pick an INTERNATIONAL AVANT-GARDE ARCHITECT who can do a good job. We have enough Melbourne architects designing for the school. Show the city what is WORLD CLASS ARCHITECTURE like the Southern Cross Station! PLEASE!!!
You Sir are an idiot.