Facilitating the University of New South Wales' collaborative learning philosophy by integrating office and laboratory spaces

The building is adjacent to the Chemical Sciences and Materials Science Building and comprises 23,500 square metres of space. Spanning nine levels, it includes a basement featuring specially-designed suites to house highly-sensitive research equipment, as well as administrative spaces, teaching and learning spaces and a café.

Integrated office and laboratory areas promote UNSW’s collaborative teaching and learning, and the building also features research areas including traditional, clean, chemistry and electron microscopy suite laboratories. The building will initially cater for up to 160 students and 140 staff with capacity for a further 144 staff and students.

A high performance glass facade with glass reinforced concrete masonry blades provides solar shading and the building’s rational modular design will allow for future reconfiguration of the laboratory spaces.

Multiplex was appointed to deliver the project under an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract and commenced initial preparatory works in July 2013. The team worked closely with the University from the outset of this project, bringing together the views of many user groups, including several laboratory groups to input into the design. Early involvement in the planning and design process enabled us to keep the project on time and on budget.