Monash University is located in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton. Founded in the late 1950s, the campus has a strong architectural presence, with structures such as John Wardle’s new Learning and Teaching Building, Lyons architects’ Green Chemical Futures building, and the Biomedical building by Denton Corker Marshall. The university’s School of Biological Sciences building dated back to the first tranche of modernist structures in Australian architecture put up in the 1960s. Kosloff Architecture presented a bold refurbishment plan, which was picked instead of outright replacement.
The new façade steps down to ground level
Re-use and reconfiguration are becoming an increasingly essential part of the architectural discourse. The 2021 Pritzker Prize winners, Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal, made their name through creative re-use, and more and more architects are calling for building stock to be retained and retrofitted to cut down on the vast carbon costs of demolition and rebuilding.
The entrance portal, designed in collaboration with Callum Morton
Working alongside the artist Callum Morton, Monash Art Projects (MAP), Norman Disney & Young (NDY), Wood and Grieve Engineers, and Arup, the architects steered a project that blends an aesthetic overhaul with a complete upgrade for the building’s services and environmental performance. The new façade is composed of angular blocks, creating a dynamic form in the heart of the campus.
This façade was installed over the existing structure, which was then demolished from inside, an approach that saved time, money, and significant disruption. The new ‘curtain’ of faceted blocks hangs down to just above ground level, where it is ‘lifted’ to reveal a layer of custom glazed bricks, stepping up behind the bold trumpet-like entrance.
A new gallery showcases the university’s art collection
This striking orange portal was created in collaboration with Callum Morton, and leads to a new gallery of Monash University’s art collection, as well as providing student access to biology and psychology labs, classrooms, lecture halls, and offices. Inside, exposed concrete frames are paired with splashes of bold colour.
The new façade has significantly improved the building’s insulation and running costs. Julian Kosloff and his team believe this strategic approach to refurbishment is best suited for busy sites like universities, where ageing infrastructure, limited funds, and the need to avoid disruption make a solid case for this kind of energy-saving intervention.
INFORMATION
-
Aesop’s Salone del Mobile 2024 installations in Milan are multisensory experiencesAesop has partnered with Salone del Mobile to launch a series of installations across Milan, tapping into sight, touch, taste, and scent
-
Dial into the Boring Phone and more smartphone alternativesFrom the deliberately dull new Boring Phone to Honor’s latest hook-up with Porsche, a host of new devices that do the phone thing slightly differently
-
Berlinde De Bruyckere’s angels without faces touch down in Venice churchBelgian artist Berlinde De Bruyckere’s recent archangel sculptures occupy the 16th-century white marble Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore for the Venice Biennale 2024
-
Lavender Bay house opens towards the water, overlooking Sydney harbourLavender Bay house by Tobias Partners is an expansive family home overlooking Sydney harbour
-
Mori House is an Australian beach escape fusing international design influencesMornington Peninsula's Mori House by architect Manuel Aires Mateus is a striking fusion of Australian, Portuguese and Japanese design influences
-
Victorian cottage transformed by radical extension into a light-filled living spaceGlasshouse Projects has opened up the heart of this Victorian cottage in Adelaide, Australia, with a contemporary garden extension and pool
-
River Wing at Clare College responds to its historic Cambridge heritageUniversity of Cambridge opens its new River Wing on Clare College Old Court, uniting modern technology with historic design
-
Sydney’s Wharf Apartment is a heritage maritime space that evokes a coastal holiday homeLawless & Meyerson’s Wharf Apartment is a careful, contemporary residential transformation in Sydney’s Finger Wharf that taps into the property's historic character
-
Eclat rethinks 21st-century workspace with a hospitality offering in MelbourneWith new Melbourne co-working space Eclat, Australian designers Forme defy the conventional shared office model through sensitive craftsmanship and hidden high-tech
-
This Melbourne aquatic recreation centre’s crafted timber ceiling hints at its sustainability ambitionsThe Northcote Aquatic Recreation Centre by Warren and Mahoney opens in Melbourne, blending sleek aesthetics with environmental responsibility
-
Treetops House brings softness to contemporary concrete volumes in SydneyTreetops House by Tobias Partners is an Australian home that juxtaposes crisp concrete volumes with soft curves, playful colours and lush nature
