New Horizons
“Bringing together many different research groups into New Horizons was a great challenge. Through creative consultation, we designed a highly flexible open source research and learning environment that will benefit new materials and bioengineering research for many years to come.”
Neil Appleton, Director of Lyons
At the core of the success of Monash University’s New Horizons building is our expertise in orchestrating and uniting multiple research disciplines in one building. Open laboratories are paired with adjacent write-up zones and project rooms so collaboration happens along the everyday path from bench to desk. A collaborative undertaking between Monash University Engineering and Science Faculties and CSIRO, we negotiated the often contrasting needs of multiple facilities to design a building recognised on the world stage of research. Our integrated and multi use design allows co-located academics to form a truly collaborative partnership with CSIRO. By bringing Monash and CSIRO teams onto one legible floorplate, everyday proximity supports industry collaboration and research translation. Students are placed alongside researchers and share in access to leading-edge technology that foreshadow their future careers. Not only does the building transform the experiences of those that step inside, New Horizons transforms Monash University by developing the Clayton Innovation Precinct as a significant technological innovation hub in the southern hemisphere.
Research Buildings
Neil Appleton
Hari Pliambas
Monash University, Engineering and Science Faculties
CSIRO
20 Research Way, Clayton VIC 3800
Located on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung people
20,884 square metres
6 star Green Star As Built
Complete, 2013
Our design for New Horizons transforms what was historically considered the back of the Monash University’s campus. The building links two major entrances, addressing CSIRO to the north and Monash Engineering to the south. The ground floor foyers connect the entrances like a public street while three internal atria provide views into the research spaces. Together, these foyers and atria act as the building’s ‘main street’, with sightlines that make research activity visible on arrival. The surrounding context of the building is designed to attract people to the north edge of the campus while a façade clad in bright aluminium breaks the scale of the building and collects water as part of integrated, innovative sustainability strategy. Shading and daylighting work with these façade systems to improve comfort for offices and labs without interrupting work.
We considered the design of New Horizons as a singular form to reflect Monash University’s vision to break down silos within facilities. While considered a singular form, the building unites extremely complex and differing research environments, each with their unique set of requirements. Within that singular form, lab and office neighbourhoods are interleaved so teams move easily between experiments, write-up and teaching. 500 physicists, chemists, bioengineers, nano-scientists, environmental scientists and digital visualisers are successfully accommodated in the New Horizons building, increasing the potential for collaboration and connection.
The floor plates are organised to run the offices and labs together, optimising the amount of connection between the two separate programmes. Open plan offices and laboratories offer maximum flexibility for researchers, supported by a diverse range of collaboration spaces, culminating with a large rooftop collaboration lounge. Informal rooms cluster near lab entries so quick huddles don’t interrupt controlled environments. The workplace benefits directly from the leading environmental design. Occupant comfort and productivity combine to create a work environment that will facilitate research recognised on the world stage. The digital design labs, a focal point for students and academics, are located in the central ‘prow’ of the building, along with an 84 million pixel 3D immersive CAVE. Locating the CAVE and studios in this ‘prow’ makes advanced visualisation part of everyday teaching as well as research. The combination of undergraduate teaching and research within New Horizons provides a clear pathway for students into postgraduate fields at Monash University.
Neil Appleton, Directors, Practice Executive
View Neil's ProfileHari Pliambas, Directors, Practice Executive
View Hari's Profile
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