One of Australia’s leading vocational skills campuses dedicated to construction training all under one roof is now open at TAFE NSW Nepean – Kingswood. The brand-new state-of-the-art 7,500sqm hub has opened in partnership with TAFE NSW, CPB Contractors and Western Sydney University, designed by national architecture studio Gray Puksand.
The new facility, the Institute of Applied Technology Construction and Multi Trades Hub has been designed to fast-track workers directly to the construction sector, which is in much need of reinforcement to support Australia’s growing population and infrastructure pipeline. The hub is the first of its kind in Australia, housing a large array of construction training from hands-on construction of full-scale buildings to project simulation rooms with virtual reality training.
TAFE NSW Relieving Chief Operating Officer Brad McAndrew said the Institute of Applied Technology Construction and Multi-Trades Hub will support learners to be job-ready through contemporary and industry-standard teaching and learning spaces.
“The facility has been specifically designed to cater to the skills needs of the construction industry now and into the future. It accommodates traditional trades training in large workshop spaces for carpentry, electrical, roof plumbing, and civil construction, while classroom and makerspaces can deliver Micro-credentials and Microskills in areas such as project management, contract administration, building information modelling, and digital skills in construction,” Mr McAndrew said.
“Our campuses are integral to local communities, so it was great to work with Gray Puksand, who understood our requirement for the building design to foster collaborative learning and community development.”
The design of the Kingswood campus was led by Barry Hackett and Stephen Turner, Partners at Gray Puksand, who were responsible for the award-winning design of the $154 million Institute of Applied Technology Digital and Multi-trades hub at TAFE NSW Meadowbank in 2023. Following the success of Meadowbank, a trade and digital skills-based learning campus, Gray Puksand was tasked with delivering the design for the Institute of Applied Technology - Construction
“Building on the success of the delivery at TAFE NSW Meadowbank, our objective with Kingswood was to create highly functional, accessible architecture. The building can be entirely circumnavigated, permitting views into and out of the spaces within. Central to our design philosophy was adaptability and flexibility, ensuring that the built environment remains conducive to the ever-evolving needs of skills training, without being constrained by physical limitations as technology advances in the years ahead,” said Mr Turner.
Mr Hackett confirmed that the architecture was used as a tool to cultivate a highly professional environment for students. “Throughout the conceptual development phase, we collaborated closely with our stakeholders to cultivate a design that not only enhances vocational education and trades training, but also caters to the intricate technical demands articulated by TAFE NSW. The result is a high-quality design that prioritises practicality, fosters a robust social environment and provides cutting-edge learning environments, all meticulously tailored to meet the diverse needs of each trade skill base. In response to the building’s existing location within a greenfield site, Gray Puksand developed a concept of a pavilion without disturbing the existing landscaping.
The tetris-like assemblage of learning spaces are organised under a projecting roof that is transparent in some sections where light streams into spaces deep inside the building.
Researching future uses resulted in spaces of different widths and heights to accommodate the ever-evolving needs of construction industry education. The building itself is used as a learning tool, with all services and construction methods on show. Gray Puksand designed this building to both educate and elevate construction methodology.
The completion of the Institute of Applied Technology at TAFE NSW Kingswoodmarks the second of Gray Puksand’s major education projects in Western Sydney in NSW, following the completion of the Institute of Applied Technology Digital and Multi-trades hub at TAFE NSW Meadowbank in 2023. Gray Puksand is currently engaged to deliver the design of the A$250 million Canberra Institute of Technology campus in Woden which is now under construction.
