7
THE ‘GIFT’ OF AN UN-BRIEFED FOOTBRIDGE,
GENEROUS PODIUM AND A LIVELY, LIGHTFILLED ENVELOPE AS DEFT HOMAGE TO ITS
SURROUNDS, INFORM THIS STRIKING RESULT
L
Left
North-east corner reveals one of
five entrances that contribute to
the building’s easy access.
a Trobe University’s newest addition – the
Sylvia Walton Building – happens to be one of
its best. In a campus elegantly stitched into its
landscape, it takes a special building to stand out,
rather than offend, with a sublime impact statement.
Honoring its former Chancellor, The Sylvia Walton
Building may be in the campus epicenter, but the
precinct feels distinctly pastoral, predominantly
water, bush and low-rise buildings from the 1960s
and 70s. The university’s master-plan of ring-road
and satellite car-parks has led to a pedestrian
friendly, botanically driven landscape. Only 14 kms.
from Melbourne’s CBD and with 19,000 students,
such tranquility doesn’t occur by accident.
It’s a special setting and Lyons has responded
with a building of star quality. It is easy to dominate
place and stand apart from the neighbours and yet
this architecture is of light and play. It celebrates
the idea of building as treehouse rather than silo.
This is evident with a porous, permeable building
that recognizes student movement and informal
connections are as important as formal learning.
A difficult site challenged the architects. Their
response, a plan resembling a squashed doughnut,
might have disqualified it immediately, yet the
result defies logic. The ‘gift’ of an un-briefed
footbridge, generous podium and a lively, light-filled
envelope as deft homage to its surrounds, inform
this striking result.