Building begins on La Trobe’s $100M accommodation project

Construction has begun on a $100 million student accommodation project at La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus in Melbourne.

It is the largest investment for a single project in the university’s history and is part of La Trobe’s $5 billion plan to transform the campus into a University City of the Future.

JCB Architects designed the environmentally conscious space, with Multiplex building the project.

The accommodation will provide an additional 624 beds, delivered in two new buildings that will use mass timber construction – the largest project of its kind in Victoria.

La Trobe’s Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar signed contracts with Multiplex and JCB Architects and said the project would greatly enhance the experience of students living on campus.

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“Our exceptional new accommodation will enable more of our students to live on campus, close to where they are studying,” Dewar said.

A range of apartments and common amenities spaces will be included, as well as landscaping connecting the two buildings.

The two new buildings will increase the number of beds on campus to 2150, with students beginning their studies in July 2020 expected to begin moving in.

Accommodation includes single, four, five and six bed apartments, including 13 accessible unites and common amenities spaces.

New construction technology will also be used at the site, with the building’s design incorporating sustainable and environmental features. Most of the existing trees will be preserved in the placement and shape of the buildings.

A significant portion of the building will be pre-fabricated off-site to make the construction process quick and as noise free as possible.

JCB Architects Director Graham Burrows said the company was thrilled to be part of the project.

“The design of the new buildings is very much inspired by the extraordinary landscape in which they sit,” Burrows said.

“As the largest mass timber project in Victoria, the buildings will not only offer huge environmental benefits, but they will also provide calm and beautiful spaces in and around which both resident students and the wider La Trobe community can interact.”

Multiplex Regional Director Ross Snowball said this is an innovative and ambitious project which Multiplex is also pleased to be part of.

“We are particularly passionate about emerging design technologies which respond to environmental and sustainability needs, and we love working with universities – so this project perfectly marries the two and I’m really looking forward to seeing the outcome next year,” Snowball said.