PROJECT
WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY HAWKESBERY CAMPUS
Completed
Sydney
Masterplanning
Urban Design
Education
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Client:
Western Sydney University
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Location:
Hawkesbery, NSW Australia
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Size:
1,373 Hectares
One of the first agricultural colleges instituted in Australia,the Hawkesbury campus of the University of Western Sydney (UWS) is an extensive, historical campus located on the edge of Richmond town.
Jackson Teece was commissioned to prepare a master plan that builds upon the rich heritage of the campus and guides its transformation into a leading example of sustainability education and research.
- The master plan is centred on the concept of an ‘exhibition campus’ that expresses a core ethos of sustainability.
The design rationalises the existing campus structure by introducing simple yet significant shifts in the way individuals interact and experience it. A network of routes for pedestrians, cyclists and on-site transport enhances circulation, forming a logical connection of walkable routes that encourage greater pedestrian and cyclist traffic.
The public space interfaces actively with adjacent ground level uses in the precinct. These include shared learning, administrative, social and recreational facilities accessed by the entire campus population. A new Student Precinct within the academic core has ingrained itself as the vibrant heart of the campus. Branching off this dynamic space, a contrasting collection of covered walkways and sheltered areas impart definition to the spaces and provide a much-needed respite from the ever-shifting climate.
These public spaces provide a rejuvenated window into the past heritage of the campus, with many under-utilised buildings pulled back into the heart of campus life. The result – a contemporary yet historically sensitive public realm design that re-establishes and re-energises the campus identity.
