The George Swinburne Building

The George Swinburne Building

Completed in 2012, the George Swinburne Building was the first major new building project designed by DS Architects.

Their brief involved repositioning Swinburne University’s main campus into the globally leading, high-performing education institution it is recognised as today.

The previous building was inadequate to support the growing campus.

So DS Architects designed an upgrade for a vibrant education centre that fosters creativity and collaboration.

The DS Architects’ design response created a new seven-storey building overlooking the main internal courtyard.

It gave back more than 3,000 m2 of new floor space for student amenity, housed all essential services under one roof, and met the diverse accommodation needs of all users.

The University is an integral part of the community so creating a design that was open and inclusive was a key consideration for the DS Architects design team.

Accordingly, their design concept went beyond simply servicing students.

Through design, they challenged typical university convention at the time by critically thinking about how to broaden the building’s impact.

The design considered how the University is an integral part of a diverse community with multiple stakeholders.

This was expressed in a clever ‘walk through’ design.

The ground floor transforms into a transitional space that is integrated into its surroundings by a mix of pathways for visitors to walk through on their way to somewhere else.

Through analysis of the surrounding context and circulation of pedestrian traffic, DS Architects identified points within the site that could serve as a connection to the popular areas around.

This allowed for moments of interaction for the community and created a welcoming sense to the general community.

As a central hub, the facility sparks unexpected interactions by creating different ways of moving through campus space.

This was a different concept for the education industry at the time.

Paved in bluestone and with glass tilt-up doors akin to a fire station, the ground floor appears to extend into the landscape and open up to the surrounding courtyard.

Inside, each floor tells a different story through the nature of its use.

The most obvious detail is ‘the skirt’; the second skin of blue glazing and red perforated panels in front of the façade rising from levels one to three.

As well as adding a bold element to the building, it is highly functional providing a buffer between busy campus life and the quieter spaces within it.

Levels One to Three are also connected by a bold, sculptural staircase positioned to the façade, protected by ‘the skirt’.

The stair draws the activity of a typical internal space outside, activating the building with people moving up and down throughout the day.

For the first time, Swinburne University owns a central, visual focus, and a branded identity.

It brings students, teachers, and the broader community together in new and exciting ways.

As a result of this success, the University named the building the George Swinburne Building, in honour of the original founder of the University.

Project Details

Project Size – 7,000 m2
Completion Date – 2012
Building Levels – 7

Project Team

Architecture

DS Architects

DS Architects are an established architectural practice that can trace its roots back to Blomquist + Wark Architects founded in 1976.

The firm works with an expansive range of clients including universities, schools, institutions, developers, private companies, and co-ops that understand the value of design and innovation, and the value of a design team aligned with their vision.

www.dsarch.com.au

Photography

Michelle Williams

Michelle is an award-winning Melbourne-based freelance photographer specialising in architecture, interior, and lifestyle imagery.

www.michellewilliams.com.au

Photo Gallery

Click on a thumbnail image to enlarge.

Design © 2022 DS Architects. All Rights Reserved.| Images © 2022 Michelle Williams. All Rights Reserved.

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