Case Study | La Trobe University Student Hub

Case Study: La Trobe University Student Hub

LA TROBE UNIVERSITY STUDENT HUB

As student enrolments climb to record highs, it is fast becoming apparent that universities need to refresh their thinking on the provision of student amenities.

In conjunction with La Trobe University and Harmer Architects, P4 is proud to present the following case study on the impact of design on student amenities and the educational experience.

“Our design for La Trobe University Student Hub responds to social dynamics by creating varied seating and table/bench arrangements to allow for individual privacy, small groups or larger gatherings.”

– Philip Harmer, Harmer Architects.

Numbers for university enrolment across Australia are at an all-time high, with tertiary education institutions attracting droves of local and international students alike. Strong growth in terms of Indigenous students, those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and students from regional areas all contribute to a growing student population, as does a record 9% annual growth rate in international students.

While the university boom means that we as a nation are more educated and prosperous than ever, it has placed considerable strain on the amenities of many universities, which were simply not designed to accommodate such high student volumes.

Many of the nation’s major universities have responded to this strain with the release of revised masterplans and construction of new buildings, alongside the expansion and refurbishment of existing ones. Yet the impact of the growing student population should not only be considered in terms of how much amenity is needed, but also in terms of what specifically is required. Student needs today are very different to what they were thirty, twenty, and even ten years ago, and it is likely that they will continue to evolve. Today, it is apparent that university campuses need to be flexible and capable of adapting to changing needs and norms.

Case Study: La Trobe University Student Hub Local Melbourne firm Harmer Architecture took all of this into consideration when designing the La Trobe University Student Hub. Nestled into the university’s Melbourne campus, the 500m2 hub encompasses student breakout areas, a transit lounge for students waiting for buses, and a student development centre. The hub is a radical departure from the staid, utilitarian university buildings of the past, and instead features colour, natural light, and adaptable open space in generous measures.

Flexible spaces arranged on a roomy open plan recognise that not only are student populations growing, but also that the way in which students work, play, and study is evolving.

Having grown up with technology and the Internet, today’s students are tech-savvy in a way that their predecessors were not, and have the ability to work remotely and while on the go. This, coupled with emerging recognition of the importance of group work in learning environments, has opened up a host of new possibilities for education design – as well as a new set of challenges we need to overcome in order to adequately deliver a built environment that satisfies the changing needs of every stakeholder.

In Detail: In the La Trobe University Student Hub, furniture is used to encourage a range of diverse uses of different spaces. Plush lounge seating provides comfortable spaces for students to relax and discuss the early stages of an idea; when things get serious, they can relocate to banquette seats and tables with integrated power solutions to keep their laptops and devices running at full pelt.

Elsewhere, chairs and tables form the perfect breakout area or spot for a quick bite, and longer tables accommodate larger groups or more formalised settings. In the student development centre, consultation lounge pods create an intimate space for private, comfortable consultations between staff and students. Throughout the project, a bold,

dynamic palette of warm autumn colours links the different spaces, which flow into one another on an open plan. Full height glazing along the front wall of the hub affords students a view of the campus and nearby bus stop and drenches the space in bright natural light that is bolstered by the warm glow of pendant lamps suspended throughout the hub.

Alongside furniture, surface treatments also provide visual cues as to the use of spaces. Resilient flooring and timberclad walls are used to demarcate circulation spaces, while carpet, soft furnishings, and colourful acoustic panels line the spaces for lingering in a classic case of ‘sticky’ design. Indeed, hanging around on campus outside of class has never been so inviting, nor has it ever looked so good.

“The colours and materials create a sense of fun and hospitality rather than a heavy academic atmosphere and the design is therefore student-focused rather than institutional in expression.”

– Philip Harmer, Harmer Architects.

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“One of the key challenges of the project was the short time frame for construction. We overcame these by ensuring that, before tenders were called, all of our furniture, material and colour selections were available and deliverable within the time frame required.”

– Philip Harmer, Harmer Architects.

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