UWSCollege Teaching Facility – Bankstown Campus

The UWSCollege, Bankstown was BKA’s second significant design project for this Campus, the first being the nearby student housing project. The principle influence for both commissions was to extend the existing building language of the campus.

The requirement for a Five Star Green design allowed BKA to formalise its commitment to using good environmental principles, taking the solution beyond fundamental passive design and the use of sustainable materials.

UWSCollege comprises two blocks containing seminar rooms, staff areas, computer rooms and a student common area.

The seminar blocks are three stories high and offset – the junction accommodating a large central circulation space, which is the heart of the project.

Orientated north/south, the blocks are naturally ventilated with glazed louvres. When temperatures reach a designated comfort range the louvres close and air conditioning takes over. Corridors are not air-conditioned. The top two levels are joined by voids and roof ventilators/skylights promoting ventilation by the ‘stack effect’.

Two lecture theatres and large seminar rooms open directly from the core. Their solid irregular exterior form of precast concrete identifies the required dual entries from car parks to the north and south. Irregular , vertical, slit windows here are covered with dominant perforated aluminium screens, conveying the image of “branches” – reflecting nearby trees and referencing the ‘tree of knowledge’.

External walls are clad with a combination of corrugated and flat sheet metal. Freestanding in situ circular columns are lightened at the top with a steel frame connecting to an expressed sunscreen frame. In addition, spider-like steel framing is provided at the building ends to protect smaller windows.

Structure is generally an in situ concrete frame with drop-in precast floor planks. Throughout the building, the concrete structure is exposed at the perimeter of most spaces.