Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Constructs University Design Hub

The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology initiated construction in July of 2009 on the $62 million University Design Hub in Melbourne, Australia. The 12,000-sm building will support research and teaching in the disciplines of architecture, textile and fashion design, industrial design, landscape architecture, urban design, engineering, fine art, and creative media. Designed by Sean Godsell and Peddle Thorp Architects to attain the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star certification, the building features an intelligent skin to optimally shade and power the facility. Comprised of eight above-ground floors and two basement levels, the project also includes extensive energy metering, an under-floor air distribution system, an internal waste management system, and rain and waste water harvesting. The facility is being built by Watpac Construction with completion expected in mid-2011.