Charles Sturt University Engineering Precinct
Project Details
Architects
ThomsonAdsett
Award
Commendation Category 3. Renovation/Modernisation / Over $2m
Address
Egan Street, Kalgoorlie, WA
Submitter
Graham Legerton
Cost
$3.22M
Project Overview
Adaptive conversion of an existing heritage (first campus) building that contained redundant laboratory, teaching and staff spaces into a new contemporary library and student study centre for the regional campus.
Jury Citation
This project cleverly resolves a highly complex brief within a pre-existing built form that presented many challenges. The design process was approached as an engineering challenge – complete with site visits, community engagement, a competition and media coverage – resulting in a built environment that is a clear and consistent articulation of what it means to learn to become an engineer in this context.
This project does more than pay lip service to constructivist theories of learning. At its core is a deep appreciation of the role of the built environment in supporting collaborative, activity-based learning. The site accommodates engineers in the first 18 months of their training, which is followed by four years of field study. As such, it has been designed to maximise opportunities for developing key relationships through shared activity in a variety of professionally inspired spaces that accommodate ‘the pitch’; cohort dinners, creating, testing and refining; industry and community engagement; and exhibition spaces.
Internal vibrancy and innovative planning underpin the core of this project. It has been executed with a high level of craft in a manner that does not add confusion or result in waste space. This is a sophisticated architectural project that is an exemplar of coherence in design at multiple scale levels and across many domains.
The project forms part of the Curtin University/WA School of Mines regional campus in Kalgoorlie, WA. Established in 1903, the campus has delivered higher education learning, teaching and research in mining and geology for over 100 years. The project has adaptively converted and re-purposed a significant portion of a heritage listed building that was underutilized and not highly valued because of its condition and dated facilities.
Under a strategic redevelopment study completed in 2012 it was identified that the campus was poorly activated in terms of student presence outside formal attendance requirements and lacking in appropriate library and study facilities for students. Whilst the campus had access to such facilities, they were located some distance from the campus as a shared and jointly managed facility on a neighbouring TAFE campus. This arrangement ended in early 2013 providing the opportunity to address these issues – through and by activation of the project.
Post original modifications and fitout was stripped out to reinstate the original spaces and architectural features. Contemporary additions fronting the internal courtyard were removed to create the new secure outdoor courtyard area. The project requirements were otherwise achieved with little (and generally no) intervention or alteration to the original exterior fabric and architecture to preserve the heritage.
The dimensional qualities of the original spaces provided a sound platform to design a functional layout that could accommodate without any significant compromise, the briefed facilities and functional requirements. The design outcome was focused on positively embracing constraints imposed by the heritage context, enhancing appreciation and interpretation of the original whilst conscious of the need to create a fit for purpose, vibrant and engaging learning and working environment.
The outcome has provided students with a contemporary, vibrant and much needed 24/7 facility for learning and study with multiple self-directed and collaborative options. It has also extended the life and value of the building well into the future. Consultation with campus management, teaching and library staff post occupation indicate the new facilities have exceeded all expectations on functionality, positive impact made to student life on campus and utilization by students.
