Open House Melbourne, Melbourne Connect Architects Talk
This event is part of the 2021 Open House Melbourne Program
Powered by the University of Melbourne in partnership with a consortium led by Lendlease, Melbourne Connect is designed by internationally acclaimed architectural firms Woods Bagot and Hayball, with fit-outs by Hassell, Architectus and Smart Design Studio. The 75,800sqm precinct boasts smart and sustainable design, with a 6-star green star rating, 4.5-star NABERS water rating and 5-star NABERS energy rating. It is also home to one of Melbourne’s largest rooftop solar PV arrays, geothermal energy and on-site rainwater harvesting.
Built on the site of the former Royal Women’s Hospital, it features a series of interconnecting buildings arranged around a central open space, featuring landscape architecture by ASPECT Studios, known as Womin Djerring (Come Together).
At the heart of this extraordinary precinct is the 3,600sqm Superfloor, a generous meeting and event space designed to create an immersive environment to explore new ideas, showcase work and to collaborate with leading minds in innovation.
More than an astonishing example of sustainable design and excellence in architecture, the Melbourne Connect precinct is purpose-built to bring together bright minds from academia, industry, government and the start-up communities to collaborate on digitally driven solutions to the world’s future problems.
Architects Talk – Woods Bagot
Lead architects Woods Bagot will present on the concept of “Designing for Innovation” on Saturday 24th July at 1pm.
What is an innovation precinct and how do you approach designing one? Principal Architect from Woods Bagot, Hazel Porter, will speak to the vision of Melbourne Connect, the University of Melbourne’s brand new innovation precinct.
Built on the former site of the Royal Women’s Hospital and featuring five connecting buildings organised around a central public outdoor garden – Womin-Djerring (Oculus) – Melbourne Connect is designed to foster multi-disciplinary innovation. It is where researchers, industry, government, entrepreneurs, and artists co-locate and collaborate to enhance Australia’s innovation, productivity and sustainability agendas.
Porter will speak to the design of the project, and how innovation and a commitment to fostering innovation was embedded in work from start to finish. The architects also strongly considered the notion of place, and have respected and acknowledged the important history of the site throughout the design process.