A 140-year-old boab tree will become the focal point of a new education and community precinct in Darwin designed by Mode.
The government unveiled the final design for the $250 million project to create a new campus precinct for Charles Darwin University after it received development approval.
The campus will occupy the site of the former Darwin Primary School and Darwin Adult Education Centre, where the heritage-listed tree, believed to have been planted in the 1880s, was a significant landmark.
“We know how special this tree is to the Darwin community – that’s why we’re ensuring it’s front and centre in the next chapter of learning on this historic site,” said professor Scott Bowman, vice-chancellor of Charles Darwin University.
The proposed Charles Darwin University Education and Community Precinct by Mode.
The form of the campus building responds to the boab tree with a sloping facade that ensures the tree is not overshadowed and has access to the sun.
The layered facade will include louvre screens and external terrace spaces which will protect the building from the tropical heat in Darwin.
The large covered spaces will blur boundaries between inside and outside, as well as integrating the building with community spaces and providing protection from heat and storms.
“Our focus has been on developing a design that delivers a landmark building for Darwin which is climatically responsive, aesthetically appealing, and will be accessible and inviting to both students and the wider community,” said Mode principal and project director Robert McCray.
The building will accommodate a variety of innovative and flexible learning spaces and will house the university’s Asia Pacific College of Business and Law, the College of Indigenous Futures, Education and the Arts, IT teaching and the International College and Art Gallery.
“This new campus will be the jewel in the revitalized Education and Community Precinct,” Bowman said. “Being at the centre of this new precinct will help Charles Darwin University train and educate more Territorians – helping them get the skills and experiences they need to thrive in their local communities.”
The project is the centrepiece of the 10-year, $320 million Darwin City Deal, which is jointly funded by the federal and Northern Territory governments, and Charles Darwin University. Early works have begun and the project is due to be complete at the end of 2023.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
