Melbourne's New Academic Street: Revitalising Campus Life at RMIT University
From its historic heritage buildings to its reputation as one of the world’s leading architecture schools, RMIT University in Melbourne is a beacon of design excellence. Constantly evolving to meet the needs of today’s students, this renowned institution has recently completed a transformative redevelopment project.
Breathing New Life into Historic Buildings
RMIT University launched a five-year redevelopment of its Melbourne City campus, collaborating with five architecture firms and a landscape architecture firm. The objective was to revitalise four aging concrete buildings—numbers 8, 10, 12, and 14—resulting in the innovative New Academic Street. This space now features dynamic learning areas and interconnected zones.
The New Academic Street is a showcase of adaptive reuse, a sustainable method that transforms and preserves existing structures. By incorporating glass roofs and windows for natural light and removing beams, columns, and slabs to create open areas, the architects modernised the buildings while maintaining their integrity. The student portals—spanning three floors with hive-like booths, a lush green floor, and drawing tables—were carved out of old lecture theatres.
Smooth, mostly touch-free entrance systems, including automatic sliding doors, revolving doors, and swing doors, enhance the flow between floors. Light-filled, open-air laneways, reminiscent of Melbourne’s iconic laneways, cut through Bowen Street and Swanston Street, linking all the buildings and integrating the campus with the surrounding streetscape.
Transforming Concrete into Green Spaces
Sustainability was a central theme in the redevelopment. Inspired by Melbourne’s gardens and parks, the New Academic Street features the four-storey Garden Building with open garden areas and two rooftop gardens serving as “living laboratories” for students to experiment with and learn from.
Additional sustainability measures include using certified low-impact materials for furniture and fit-out items, leveraging natural ventilation where possible, and employing innovative construction techniques like glue-laminated timber in the Garden Building, which has a low carbon footprint and a zero-waste production process.
Enhancing Academic Experiences
The New Academic Street is not just about rejuvenating old buildings; it’s about enriching the student experience at RMIT’s flagship City campus. The revamped Swanston Library now offers 40 percent more study spaces, with options for solo study, group work, and open balcony areas. The Media Precinct, designed to evoke a backstage TV studio feel, features cutting-edge media production technology. The Retail Activation District provides diverse food and retail options and rent-free spaces for alumni, staff, and students to trial their business ideas.
RMIT Connect serves as a central hub for student services. Designed with student input, the open area features self-help kiosks, consultation tables, casual seating, and comfortable lounge areas. The warm brown tones and open layout create a welcoming atmosphere.
These renovations, incorporating the latest in architectural innovation, have greatly enhanced academic life for faculty, staff, and students, solidifying RMIT University’s status as a prestigious and forward-thinking institution in Australia.
