AJC Architects

Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation

Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects

ROBERT MENZIES COLLEGE STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

Allen Jack+Cottier Architects

ARCHITECTURAL ASSISTANT
David Haire

MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL
VOS Group

HYDRAULIC
Sparks & Partners

SPECIFICATION
Mark Corbet

MANUFACTURERS
Big River Group

BUILDER
Grindley

PLANNER
JBA Planning

STRUCTURAL
SDA Associates

ACOUSTIC
Vipac

DIRECTOR DA
Mark Louw

DIRECTOR
Glynn Evans

DESIGN ARCHITECT / DIRECTOR POST DA
Scott Norton

PROJECT ARCHITECT / SUPERINTENDENT
Matt McNeil

TOTAL PROJECT COST
$9.2m

AREA
2546.0 sqm

YEAR
2012

LOCATION
Australia

CATEGORY
Student Hall

The new student accommodation building at Robert Menzies College (RMC) is a contemporary symbol of the college’s identity, on the expanding Macquarie University campus. It represents the brand, culture and function of RMC and reinforces the college’s interactive, supportive and social emphasis.

Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects

Macquarie University’s need for student housing has increased exponentially in the last couple of years, with demand exceeding supply. The new building at RMC includes 104 new bedrooms, seminar rooms and common room areas for senior undergraduates, post-graduate and doctoral students; and communal outdoor recreation space and conference facilities for use by the greater community.

It is an infill development which seeks to complete the fabric of the existing college at RMC. Architectural references have been made to the robust materials and textures of the existing buildings, such as face brick, off-form concrete and terracotta cladding. The building also picks up on elements of form, such as the vertical windows of the dining hall and the modulated blocks of the accommodation buildings.

Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects

The building is divided into two wings, connected lightly by a glazed bridge element. The south wing addresses and contains the new active courtyard space, and expresses the identity of the college community in a vibrant and dynamic way.

It is the public face of the college and has a bold visual presence along Waterloo Road, contributing to the entry statement of the Macquarie University campus. The north wing expresses a more practical and robust purpose, referencing the masonry elements of the existing accommodation buildings.

Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects

The college aimed to increase their accommodation capacity as much as possible within a relatively tight budget that was defined at the outset. This required rigorous cost management by the team during design, documentation and construction.

The regular and modular plan, rationalised load bearing structure and conventional construction techniques were aimed at less specialised builders and trades. Equally, ongoing lifecycle costs were to be minimized, so robust materials requiring little or no maintenance such as face brick and concrete block were specified.

Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects

The building was conceived with passive solar principles in mind and provides custom sunshading elements, cross ventilation to all common areas and corridors, insulated facades and thermal mass. Automatically controlled and timed lighting, mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning are used in common areas to reduce energy wastage.

Although no air conditioning was provided to the accommodation rooms, the occupants have been completely comfortable, even in the extremes of summer. Rainwater is harvested in a large underground tank for irrigation of the landscaped areas of the campus, and gas water heaters and appliances.

While the building sits well stylistically with the existing buildings on the site, its design distinguishes it from the accommodation provided for the under-graduates currently housed at the college and provides the new branding element that the college desired. Already, the amenities and contemporary appeal have contributed to record student intake when compared to neighbouring colleges.

Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
© Allen Jack+Cottier Architects


Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
Roof Plan
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
Ground Floor Plan
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
Floor Plan 2
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
Floor Plan 3
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
Floor Plan 4
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
Floor Plan 5


Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
Elevations: North, South
Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
Elevations: East, West


Robert Menzies College Student Accommodation
Site Plan

AJC Architects
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AJC Architects
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