Sylvia Walton Building, La Trobe University

• Sector

  Education

• Key Lyons Contact

  James Wilson

• Client

  La Trobe University

• Address

  Sylvia Walton Building, Bundoora VIC 3086

• Traditional Land

  Traditional lands of the Wurundjeri (Woiworung) and Boon Wurrung

• Size

  7500m2

• Sustainability

  GBCA 5 Star Green Star Education Building Design Rating

• Project Status

  Complete, 2013

Creating pathways with student-centred design

While most pathway programs are typically located off campus, our design for the Sylvia Walton Building creates an alternative for students looking to enter La Trobe University. The strategy that underpins the architecture of the building diversifies education pathways, breaking them away from their siloed systems. The building is embedded with student centred design features such as peer to peer teaching spaces, collaborative social zones and supportive study environments. The five level building integrates 21 New Generation teaching spaces with key student support facilities, academic accommodation and a diverse range of student social hubs. The project connects learning to the outside through sightlines to landscapes, an elevated outdoor podium and a series of highly visible internal destination rooms to each of its five levels. Speaking about the strategy behind the interactive student environments, Director James Wilson said, “We’ve always been interested in evolving learning pedagogies and how we can balance that with more playful design qualities. We’ve designed a place that students really enjoy being in by generating anticipation and excitement as the backdrop to their learning.”

An interconnected building and new campus gateway

The building is designed to have a deliberate connection to the rest of Bundoora campus — another feature which shapes the student experience. The significance of the integrated campus for international and domestic pathway students is critical to imbedding them in the culture of university life, helping to establish a stronger sense of belonging. Porus features, opening windows and an interconnected building design all contribute to making the Sylvia Walton Building an extension of the Bundoora campus. Situated next to the iconic moat, the building forms a new gateway to the central campus and successfully melds La Trobe’s dual ground and upper pedestrian networks into an array of multi level entrances. The internal circulation is a sequence that winds upwards around the core with a continuous pathway to encourage walking. Along the pathway are destination nodes with views to the outside. The uninterrupted progression up the five levels to the library is made possible with generous concrete ceilings that meet fire regulations, allowing smoke to gather at a safe height.

Stitching heritage with modern features

Our design for the Sylvia Walton Building is a modern addition to the Bundoora campus, with the original masterplan for the primary buildings completed in the late 1960s by award winning architect Roy Simpson. We designed the building with bold, modern features that are representative of La Trobe University’s future-focused values. To stitch these two realities — heritage and modern — we looked to the bush surroundings as our mediator. Light precast concrete replaces brick and aluminium inserts in Sandune, Wattle, Terracotta and Cinnamon are introduced, all helping the building blend into the neighbouring gum trees. Breaking free from Simpson’s belief that most buildings should play a background role, the facade brings visual interest to the campus. Constructed from over 200 precast panels with large double height glazed openings to the east elevation, it appears to have a deliberate disordered order, creating movement that zigzags across the building.