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An artist's impression of how the new $100 million building is expected to look Image by Tucker Creative Full Image (92.95K) An artist's impression of how the new $100 million building is expected to look Image by Tucker Creative Full Image (49.36K)

Wednesday, 5 December 2007

The University of Adelaide will this week create history when it commences work on a new $100 million state-of-the-art building on its North Terrace campus.

The new building will be constructed on the site currently occupied by the Mathematics Building on the lower level of the University's North Terrace Campus and will provide more than 14,000 square metres of space for learning, teaching, research, and other student and staff facilities.

The eight-storey, environmentally sustainable building will cater for the significant growth in students in the Faculty of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Sciences which is predicted to grow from 3,700 to 4,400 students by 2011.

The new building is part of the University's most extensive building development program in its history, with more than $300 million being spent on state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities on the North Terrace, Waite and Roseworthy campuses over the next three years.

"This is a very exciting time in the University's history," said the Executive Dean of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Sciences, Professor Peter Dowd.

"The unprecedented growth in the mining and defence industries, especially in South Australia, has created a high demand for quality graduates in all engineering disciplines. This demand has also been driven by a range of new undergraduate degree programmes in areas including pharmaceutical engineering, mining engineering, sports engineering, architectural engineering, sustainable energy engineering, avionics, computational engineering and computer graphics.

"This new building will help the University continue to play a key role in providing skilled graduates for South Australia, the nation and the world," Professor Dowd said.

The building has been designed for use as a demonstration and teaching tool for engineering, mathematics and computer science programs.

Key features include:

• 24 hours a day, seven days a week access to major resources and support facilities;
  
• Improved student amenities, including a cafe, computer labs, exhibition area and teaching spaces;
  
• Compliance with Disability Discrimination Act;
  
• A three-level link to the Engineering Mathematics Building and an atrium link to the Engineering North Building;
  
• Winter gardens with translucent glass floors on each level;
  
• 'Thermal chimneys' which will provide efficient and effective airflow throughout the building.

Demolition to enable the construction of the new building will begin this week with construction of the new building to commence in early 2008. The occasion will be celebrated with a breakfast on the University's Barr Smith lawns this Friday 7 December at 9am.

For more information visit www.adelaide.edu.au/space