Murdoch Uni Student Hub

Designed by Hames Sharley, the Student Hub on Bush Court is a dynamic, flexible space at the centre of the South Street campus.

It is where students meet, eat, socialise, study informally and gain access to important support services.

The Student Hub is the largest investment made by Murdoch University to improve the student experience delivered on campus in its 40 year history.

This strategic project revolutionises the university’s student facilities and provides a standard of amenity not seen elsewhere in Western Australia.

It draws together a number of functions into one cohesive space and becomes a home away from home for students on the South Street campus.

The return of the Student Guild to Bush Court has reactivated and refreshed the Guild’s relevancy and visibility on campus by being within the Centre for Student Life.

The Guild’s integration into the new Student Hub was key to gaining student buy-in and have students feel that the Hub is truly a student centric place.

The Hub spaces are flexible, shared and multi-purpose, and allow indoor and outdoor spaces to be better utilised for longer periods.

Outdoor spaces of varying sizes that encourage a ‘work/study anywhere’ concept ensure staff and students stay longer and enjoy their time.

This is aided by the creation of micro-climates externally to provide respite and a point of difference to internal spaces.

The blurring of the edges between indoor and outdoor assists in fully utilising all spaces.

Hames Sharley’s brief for the project was to establish the centre of student life at the cultural heart of the campus.

The project’s design aspirations included:

Re-energise and activate Bush Court as the cultural heart of the university
Respect the heritage and character of Bush Court
Engage and inspire the Murdoch University community
Create a vibrant, engaging, innovative, fun, social space
Improve the perception of Murdoch University
Improve connectivity between external and internal spaces
Improve the food and beverage offer – one that meets its complex market
Increase access to informal learning areas and collaborative working space.

Hames Sharley’s client, Murdoch University, have always been a free-thinking university that aspire to be the global centre for learning, teaching, research and industry.

They have never lost sight of their purpose.

With more than 23,000 students and 1,700 staff from across 90 different countries, Murdoch are proud to be recognised for the impact that their free-thinking graduates, life-changing research, and innovative campus and industry developments have made – both in Western Australia and around the world.

The Hames Sharley design worked with the wonderful landscape.

Its mature trees were preserved, with the steep topography transformed from a barrier into an attractive usable place.

New places and connections were made that support fun and play, encourage increased visitation, build community, and provide numerous positive effects on the mental and physical health of users to meet the social and emotional needs of the people who study and work on campus.

To some extent, the ‘concourse-like’ condition of the building façades collectively turned their back on the key public space.

And a redesigned edge condition facilitates stopping and interacting within the space and the functions within the buildings.

Project Details

Project Budget – $21,000,000
Completion Date – 2017

Project Team

Architecture, Urban Development, Interior Design

Hames Sharley

Evidenced by their delivery of multi-award-winning projects across the disciplines of architecture, interior design, urban design, planning, and landscape design, Hames Sharley are recognised as one of Australia’s leading design firms.

Established in 1976, the practice has studios in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

www.hamessharley.com.au

Photography

Robert Frith

Robert Frith is a commercial photographer based in Subiaco, Perth.

www.acorn.com.au