Hassell focused on state-of-the-art technology, flexibility for change, and outdoor learning when designing the University of Wollongong’s Jillian Broadbent Building located in Wollongong, Australia.

Catering to a wide spectrum of ambitions, the new hub brings together schools of the arts, English and media, as well as health and society, geography and sustainable communities into one space built for collaboration and interaction. Some of the new facilities include theatres, recording studios, music rooms, maker spaces, and dance workshop areas.

The University aims to drive significant investment and traffic into Wollongong with a flexible hub for the campus to grow, and a framework for the arts to change and evolve within the building.

Hassell Education and Science Sector Leader, Mark Roehrs, said Wollongong is known for its coastal landscapes and weather to match, which led to outdoor learning playing a pivotal role in how the Building was designed.

The Jillian Broadbent Building also harnesses the maximum amount of daylight inside the building whilst also providing shading, glare control and thermal comfort.

A key design feature is the three storey atrium that acts as a connecting space between schools, faculties and the public, which serves as a ‘front of house’ to welcome students, staff and visitors. The atria is an essential part of the building’s design, responsible for harnessing sunlight above the central feature stairway which disperses through all levels of the building.

Architect: Hassell
Photography: Mark Syke