The vision for this project was to sustainably morph a utilitarian building into a 21st-century vision for on-campus teaching and research for the University of Southern Queensland. The solution realised makes a dramatic statement celebrating its ‘Engineering’ purpose by having expressed structural engineering, celebrating the essential fume hood services, and exposed building services throughout.

With strong linear metallic cladding and large swatches of bold colour, the building’s stunning design not only achieves a dynamic aesthetic but also impressively addresses passive solar control sustainably and creatively, all while staying within a constrained budget.

“One of our biggest goals was to have a facility that showcased everything happening in the rooms and labs, from learning and designing, assembly of technology to testing, experimenting and optimisation,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie.

The building also acts as a ‘living lab’, with a unique structural health monitoring system designed by the University’s engineering specialist, Dr Andy Nguyen. Multiple sensors embedded throughout the building allow students to monitor its structural health performance in real-time as part of their studies. The building’s performance is monitored for strain, stress, and deflection under real-time loading conditions.