Construction begins on $100 million building

Facilities

The University of Adelaide has engaged leading Australian building contractor Hindmarsh to construct the University's largest ever building project, a new nine-level $100 million facility to be located on its North Terrace Campus.

The state-of-the-art building will house teaching and research facilities for students and staff in the University's Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, and will cater for significant growth in students in the Faculty.

Work to construct the building has begun following the formal signing of the contract by the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide, Professor James McWha, and Hindmarsh Director Peter Gibberd.

Hindmarsh was selected following a nationwide tender process managed by the University.

"This $100 million building is the largest construction project in the University's extensive development program, which is the most significant in the University's history," Professor McWha said.

"The facility will enable students to utilise teaching and research resources that are among the best of their kind anywhere in the world. The benefits to students extend beyond just the learning environment, with the building offering more and better opportunities to develop social networks outside of their own areas of study," he said.

The new building will be constructed on the lower level of the University's North Terrace Campus. It will provide more than 11,000 square metres of space over nine stories and includes purpose-built teaching, learning, research, and other student and staff facilities.

"This building is an integral component of the University's North Terrace Development Strategy, so it was essential we found the right company to undertake the work," Professor McWha said.

The building has been designed to enable it to be used as a teaching tool with innovative features such as high environmental sustainability and building performance monitoring equipment.

"The building has significant Environmental Sustainable Design (ESD) aspirations and the proposed development is in keeping with the intent of South Australia's Strategic Plan and the planning strategy of metropolitan Adelaide," said Professor Peter Dowd, Executive Dean of the Faculty.

"This new, environmentally sustainable building will enable the Faculty to continue to increase its intake of students into the disciplines that underpin the State and national economies and provide the graduates who will be instrumental in the delivery of key state and national priorities," Professor Dowd said.

The building is expected to be completed by mid 2010.

More than $400 million is being invested in state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities on the North Terrace, Waite and Roseworthy campuses over the next four years.

Story by Olivia Jones