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Architects: Architectus
- Area: 22000 m²
- Year: 2016
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Photographs:Simon Devitt
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Manufacturers: Fastmount®, Interface, Concretec, Decortech, Espies, Forman Interiors, Glass Projects, Novalab, Terrazzo & Stoneworks, Thermosash, VMZINC, Woods Glass
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Lead Architects: Patrick Clifford, Malcolm Bowes, Michael Thomson, Carsten Auer, James Mooney, Paul Millard, Alistair Scott, Michael West, Damian McKeown, Manuel Morel, Kirk Smith, Severin Soder, John Baker, Michel Bosauder, Jeremy Chapman, Rebecca Davidson, Kitty Fan, Carmen Fu (model maker), Peter Jeffs, Christian Kim, Eddy Lau, Yi Ting Lau, Joe Murphy, Warren Nicholson, John Strand, Michael Whiteacre, Mark Yong
Text description provided by the architects. Located at the corner of Wellesley and Symonds Streets Building 302 is the anchor project of the University’s Science Precinct. In response to a brief that sought to increase the University’s presence the new building marks this key gateway to the City Campus offering a “window into the life of the University” for passers-by. Building occupants, including the Schools of Psychology, Chemistry and Environment, are organised across 22,000m2 of new floor area spread over 11 storeys.
The building idea, developed during the competition stage, proposes an organisational strategy that promotes the social aspects of the project brief. Similar to previous Architectus projects, such as the Erskine Building at the University of Canterbury, the arrangement of the spaces in a section is key. At Building 302 activities are organised around a series of staggered internal atria or “rooms” creating a flexible environment for research, learning and interdisciplinary communication.
These rooms arranged one above the other in section, commence at the ground plane where the planning allows for an open and transparent student environment with connectivity to the adjoining streetscape and Campus public spaces. Above this, an intermediate room connects staff and undergraduates whilst the uppermost room brings together the more intensive and specialised postgraduate research spaces.
The Science Centre is located adjacent to Building 303 - an existing building which was refurbished by Architectus and now forms an integrated part of the Sciences Precinct.
