DS Architects appointed to assist in establishing a comprehensive engineering presence at Burwood
Ranked in the top 1% in the world, Deakin University’s School of Engineering prides itself on providing hands-on, industry-led learning. With undergraduate engineering enrollments expected to increase nearly tenfold in the next six years, Deakin University identified the need to expand facilities at the Burwood Campus to support a full bachelor level Engineering program and shape a vibrant undergraduate engineering presence.
Historically, the Burwood Campus could only accommodate first-year engineering students, requiring them to either commute to Geelong or attend cloud-based classes to complete their degree. Acknowledging the urgency to accommodate immediate growth, the University opted for a staged approach, with the recently completed Stage 1 of works focusing on the refurbishment of Building F. Following a competitive tender process, DS Architects were appointed in August 2024 as Principal Consultant Architect for Stage 2 of works.
The Stage 2 project will significantly expand and reimagine the School of Engineering at Deakin University’s Burwood Campus, transforming level 1 of the centrally located Building B into state-of-the-art teaching laboratories and learning spaces. The project aims to establish a comprehensive undergraduate engineering presence at Burwood, enhancing student retention and improving the student experience by providing a complete on-campus pathway.
The project brief requires the development of three specialised teaching laboratories, designed specifically to accommodate civil, mechanical, and environmental engineering disciplines, as well as a general-purpose classroom and an informal learning space. Given the hands-on, equipment-specific, practical nature of engineering education, understanding and spatially translating the complex equipment requirements of each teaching laboratory formed a critical first step in our design process. DS Architects have collaborated closely with the School of Engineering to develop a detailed equipment master schedule that maps key identifiers such as lab discipline, spatial needs, installation requirements, services integration and any shared use requirements, effectively testing the parameters of the brief and informing the planning and design process.
Our team also needed to consider existing conditions, due to Building B being historically constructed and modified via at least 5 stages of works in the last 55 years. DS Architects know from experience that early due diligence and detailed planning is critical when refurbishing spaces within existing buildings, especially when designing technical and laboratory environments. Recognising the potential for significant challenges associated with the existing structural, architectural, and services systems, our team needed to review, analyse, research and interpret in order to understand the existing building context and inform the design of this highly technical fitout.
With the initial concept design phase now complete, we look forward to collaborating with the School of Engineering to further develop and refine the design to support the development of the Business Case and funding processes, and to enable the project to progress through to documentation and delivery.
