VISION 30—HIGH DISTINCTION
It’s no coincidence that Monash University drew on the
expertise of its Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
in developing the halls of residence competition
process. The benefits of their input from conception to
completion are apparent throughout.
Faculty Dean, Prof. Shane Murray advises the university’s
Estates Committee on consultant selection and together
with invited external senior architects and the university
senior management, designs were reviewed throughout
their development. He cites Monash as the city’s leader
in campus living with these new halls of residence.
He was also determined that the results would set
new benchmarks for housing students who in turn will
activate the campus much more fully than the usual tidal
flow of students.
Prof.Murray says the result of these residential buildings
is as animated ‘contributors’ to their settings. “A couple
of these projects are really in the epicentre of the
university and fully part of the operation of the campus.
There’s a type of fluidity between the life of learning and
living and there is seamless interconnection. That works
both for the residents and most importantly it enriches
the life of everyone on the campus which is the other
great benefit of living in a more integrated way.”
“These buildings are obviously residential colleges and
the most important thing about a student residence is
that you have a lot of windows. It’s their most enduring
characteristic and these buildings are a fantastic
catalogue of different approaches to glazing in building.
“Monash has a very deep commitment to sustainability.
The combination of very high performance solar glass
with large expanses of glazing relative to environmental
constraints is challenging. Combining different
approaches to the proportion of the glazing and the way
the skin of the building and other solar treatments shield
the glass, particularly when facing east or west, has been
a key element in animating these buildings.
Open, activated ground floors typify all halls.
Performance glass, overhangs and vivid
window shades contribute to another bold,
extroverted façade able to match views and
energy ratings.
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