The building comprises 6 levels and incorporates two lecture theatres, workshop, library, two exhibition spaces, cafe, a series of studios over three levels, a studio hall, and a series of associated academic and professional. The design connects back into the network of buildings and courtyards and operates as an urban gesture reinforcing the workings and systems of the campus.

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31-May-2016 Following an international design competition JWA and NADAAA were appointed as architects to design the new Melbourne School of Design building for the University of Melbourne. The University embraced the unusual creative relationship proposed between the two practices as collaborative design partners across all aspects of the project. The project integrates the requirements of both the University’s Property and Campus Services and the Faculty. The design process has involved regular briefing meetings, workshops and presentations with various faculty user groups, University Committees and Reference groups. The building design responds to the planning principles set out in the 2008 University of Melbourne Parkville Campus Master Plan. The building design meets its briefed area and budget targets, comprising of 6 levels (basement plus five levels) and incorporates two lecture theatres, workshop, library, two exhibition spaces, cafe, a series of studios over three levels, a studio hall, and a series of associated academic and professional workspaces captured within the briefed 15,772 m2GFA. Central to the design is the Studio Hall, a large flexible space that provides for informal occupation over all times of the day. The Studio Hall is enclosed to the west side by the former Bank of New South Wales façade, and to the east side the Studio Hall overlooks the new courtyard. It is spatially book ended at the east side by the heritage façade of the Elisabeth Murdoch building. The Studio Hall is enclosed by a coffered timber roof that mediates natural daylight and assists natural ventilation. The building has been designed to incorporate a number of innovative structural and services systems that combined with the building’s façade system contribute to achieving the targeted 6 star green star rated building.

13-Nov-2015 This winning competition entry is for an environment to study the future of sustainable cities and places of inhabitation.

Within this building the next generation of architects, urban planners, ecologists, builders and landscape architects will learn to work in a highly connected way. Our design in collaboration with Boston architecture firm NADAAA is driven by the idea that the building itself becomes built pedagogy and a broader studio environment.

The architecture, inherent planning, spatial arrangements and configurations, particular programmatic adjacencies and relationships foster a rich, dynamic environment that becomes a point of stimulus, a catalyst for creativity and inventive design research.

With its many inventive structural and environmental ideas, the building becomes a live learning tool for students and staff alike.

The idea of what architecture can give back to the community also works at the scale of the university. Connecting back into the network of buildings and courtyards, our design operates as an urban gesture reinforcing the workings and systems of the campus.

The transparent facades and open permeable ground plane reveals the creative and collaborative activities to the rest of the university community.

The building houses the university’s faculty of architecture, building and planning; the building is intended as both a place of learning and as a teaching tool in itself. Materials used are raw and exposed, allowing students an insight into construction techniques and fabrication, the architects thus used Webnet mesh because of its simplicity and almost ethereal veil.

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Following an international design competition JWA and NADAAA were appointed as architects to design the new Melbourne School of Design building for the University of Melbourne. The University embraced the unusual creative relationship proposed between the two practices as collaborative design partners across all aspects of the project. The project integrates the requirements of both the University’s Property and Campus Services and the Faculty. The design process has involved regular briefing meetings, workshops and presentations with various faculty user groups, University Committees and Reference groups. The building design responds to the planning principles set out in the 2008 University of Melbourne Parkville Campus Master Plan. The building design meets its briefed area and budget targets, comprising of 6 levels (basement plus five levels) and incorporates two lecture theatres, workshop, library, two exhibition spaces, cafe, a series of studios over three levels, a studio hall, and a series of associated academic and professional workspaces captured within the briefed 15,772 m2GFA. Central to the design is the Studio Hall, a large flexible space that provides for informal occupation over all times of the day. The Studio Hall is enclosed to the west side by the former Bank of New South Wales façade, and to the east side the Studio Hall overlooks the new courtyard. It is spatially book ended at the east side by the heritage façade of the Elisabeth Murdoch building. The Studio Hall is enclosed by a coffered timber roof that mediates natural daylight and assists natural ventilation. The building has been designed to incorporate a number of innovative structural and services systems that combined with the building’s façade system contribute to achieving the targeted 6 star green star rated building.

The company developed a series of level specific patterns derived from the facade design, which when placed on the front and rear surfaces of the clear acrylic signage create a range of different moray effects as the user moves past the signage.

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The wayfinding, signage and environmental graphics for the new University of Melbourne Faculty of Architecture building aims to respond to the notion of a living building by providing a user responsive, shifting aesthetic. Wayfinding signage often deals with defined boundaries, thresholds and legibility constraints.

We developed a series of level specific patterns derived from the facade design, which when placed on the front and rear surfaces of the clear acrylic signage create a range of different moray effects as the user moves past the signage. The optically clear signage was detailed to integrate into the interior finishes with concealed fixings, with the intention that unless a user was looking for information to guide them, the wayfinding signage would in effect disappear into the fabric of the building. Visible only when needed, and visible as a shifting graphic through the use of the moray patterns the signage system would be both unobtrusive and dynamic at the same time.

Tensile, was engaged from the outset of the design. In addition to the 1200 sq m of stainless steel mesh, over 4 kilometers of support cables, 1500 meters of stainless steel tube, along with countless fittings, fixings and custom components were used in this complex project.

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Over 1200m2 of stainless steel mesh stretches the entire height and span of the five storey atrium of the new University of Melbourne’s School of Design showcasing the aesthetic and functional possibilities of this dynamic product.

The manufacturer, Tensile, was engaged from the outset of the design and 3D modeling was essential to get all the components correct, especially for the 750 individual and unique pieces of tubing. In addition to the 1200m2 of stainless steel mesh, over 4 kilometers of support cables, 1500 meters of stainless steel tube, along with countless fittings, fixings and custom components were used in this complex project. More from the Manufacturer:

Designed by local architects John Wardle Architects (JWA) in collaboration with Boston based firm NADAAA, the building houses the university’s faculty of architecture, building and planning. The building is intended as both a place of learning and as a teaching tool in itself. Materials are raw and exposed, allowing students an insight into construction techniques and fabrication. The Architects were attracted to using Webnet mesh because of its simplicity and almost ethereal veil. The mesh provides a safety barrier between levels, whilst still maintaining transparency, sight-lines and air flow.

Engaged from design through to construction, the project is the most complicated installation Tensile has attempted thus far and 3D modelling was essential to get all components correct, especially for the 750 individual and unique pieces of tubing. The mesh and perimeter fixing details made it very easy to work with the complicated geometry of the hanging studio and the atrium slab profiles. Along with the 1200m2 of stainless steel mesh, over 4 kilometres of support cables, 1500 metres of stainless steel tube, along with countless fittings, fixings and custom components complete this complex project.

As with many of the projects Tensile is engaged for, we were selected for our ability to innovate and collaborate. Throughout the project we were in constant consultation and discussion with both JWA and NADAAA for design resolution and refinement.

This solution would be suitable for all sizes of commercial and institutional projects. The mesh provides a discreet protective and supportive structure whilst providing an elegant spatial design element. It is a highly flexible solution which can be used to form a plane surface but can also be tensioned into three-dimensional forms featuring funnel-type, cylindrical, or spherical shapes.

SBS Group coordinated with the architects, on site contractors and builders to create and pre-fabricate the structure in specially designed sections. SBS undertook the shop drawings and designing of the truly intriguing facade.

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After months of planning, retaining the heritage facade of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Melbourne building was a milestone of engineering.

The ultra creative inner transformation of the UOM Joseph Reed sculpture was designed both locally and internationally, enhancing the age old feature with modern flair.

Brookfield Multiplex were the successful builder and were tasked with many inspirational features including this internal three storey design. Having worked together on past and present projects, the builder turned to SBS Group for a three dimensional and creative Ultra Frame lightweight solution.

After initial consulting and fabricating prototypes, SBS Group coordinated with the architects, on site contractors and builders to create and pre-fabricate the structure in specially designed sections. SBS undertook the shop drawings and designing of the truly intriguing facade. This resulted in a cost effective, detailed and simple framing solution for direct fixing of internal linings.

SBS Group: re-creating expensive and tedious projects into efficient realities.

This winning competition entry is for an environment to study the future of sustainable cities and places of inhabitation. 

Within this building the next generation of architects, urban planners, ecologists, builders and landscape architects learn to work in a highly connected way. Our design in collaboration with Boston architecture firm NADAAA is driven by the idea that the building itself becomes built pedagogy and a broader studio environment. 

The architecture, inherent planning, spatial arrangements and configurations, particular programmatic adjacencies and relationships foster a rich, dynamic environment that becomes a point of stimulus, a catalyst for creativity and inventive design research. 

With its many inventive structural and environmental ideas, the building becomes a live learning tool for students and staff alike.

The idea of what architecture can give back to the community also works at the scale of the university. Connecting back into the network of buildings and courtyards, our design operates as an urban gesture reinforcing the workings and systems of the campus.

The transparent facades and open permeable ground plane reveals the creative and collaborative activities to the rest of the university community.