Edith Cowan University – City Campus, Technical Architect

With Architecture Studio was commissioned to prepare the urban design, architecture, interior, landscape and public art sections of the Project Brief for Edith Cowan University’s City Campus. The management and coordination of the briefing process and the compilation of the final document was undertaken by PwC.

ECU’s City Campus is the new home for the internationally renowned Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), and the Schools of Business; Law; Cyber Security; and Arts and Humanities. The project will include six theatres for the performing arts, dance studios, a variety of venues and learning spaces for classical, jazz, and rock music; set design and fabrication workshops; costume and fashion design studios; artist studios; a gallery and exhibition spaces; and a library-resource centre. Co-working and function spaces will attract industry partnerships, seminars, and forums.

The briefing required detailed inspections of the University’s facilities at Joondalup and Mt Lawley, and an extensive programme of workshops and information exchanges with the numerous user groups, and progress reports and presentations to the Steering Committee and University Executive.

The brief included benchmark project, blocking and stacking diagrams, accommodation schedules, equipment schedules, adjacency diagrams and descriptions of ECU’s functional and operational requirements. The briefing was progressed in parallel with the Quantity Surveyor to prepare regular cost updates and align expectations with the budget.

Geoff Warn contributed to the preparation of the EOI and RFT documents for the selection of the consultant team, and was included in small evaluation panel for the shortlisting and final selection of the full consultant team.

With a budget of $645M this multi-level complex to be located in the City Link opposite Yagan Square is a genuinely unique project that will have a major transformational effect on the central city. The complex will accommodate 11,000 students and 1,500 staff, and with over 300 performances per year, plus forums, seminars, workshops, and exhibitions, City Campus will be “always on”, and a major attractor and destination for the community, visitors and tourists.