Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Campus
New Chancellery Building and Business School
Joondalup, Perth, Australia
fjmt + spowers

New campus rises from a hillside

© John Gollings

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

The forms, materials, and character of the new Joondalup campus were drawn directly from the surrounding landscape. Set amongst bushland and eucalyptus, the buildings are sited on a gentle slope. To one side are the broad lanes of Grand Drive leading into the new City of Joondalup, on the other is a central campus pathway that leads down to a lake and peaceful green lawns.

The new Chancellery buildings are designed to resemble two giant plants, their branches fanning out and rising up from the ground. These rising forms frame a vista down to the lake and open wide toward Grand Drive: a welcoming gesture of invitation to the city. The curving form is created with Jarrah struts that begin parallel to the ground and gradually fold up and out, framing a new ceremonial open space and reaching up towards the sky. The Jarrah screen provides shelter, shade, and structural support to the assembly of work areas, courtyards, café, and gallery spaces that step up from one to three levels. Circulation is concentrated between the timber screen and the main enclosure. Stairways and elevators are located in this shaded zone, creating informal meeting places and drawing occupants to the exterior as they move between the floors and wings of the building.

In counterpoint with the Chancellery building is a linear structure that accommodates the School of Business. Mirroring the landscape, the ground plane of this building has been extended and bent up into a gentle slope that looks back to the rising forms of the Chancellery. This form is made from earthen materials: clay brick and concrete packed together to create an enclosing, bowl-like open space with seating for events or informal meeting and gathering. Orthogonal enclosures made of metal contain the academic offices intersect this slope. They look back towards the Chancellery and city beyond through a metal veil of automatic louvers.

The organic forms of the architecture have been developed to appear to rise "naturally" out of the landscape and to embody the values and aspirations of Edith Cowan University. The site is also transformed into an urban focus, becoming a catalyst for a dense future campus defined by a series of symbolic, open, public spaces that are democratic in character.

Formal name of Project:
Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Campus
New Chancellery Building and Business School

Location:
Joondalup, Perth, Australia

Gross square footage:
150,700 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$44.45 Million

Owner:
Edith Cowan University

Architect:
fjmt architects
Level 5 MCA
140 George Street
Sydney 2000
T: 61 2 9251 7077
F: 61 2 9251 7072
www.fjmt.com.au

Spowers Architects Pty Ltd.
Podium Level, Central Park
152-158 St. Georges Terrace
Perth WA 6000
T: 61 8 9288 8500
F: 61 8 9322 5729
E: perth@spowers.com.au
www.spowers.com.au