ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney

ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney

Alumni Green, the most significant outdoor space on the UTS (University of Technology, Sydney) City Campus, will be transformed into a vibrant, tree-lined city space in the latest design to be unveiled under its City Campus Master Plan. The proposal by ASPECT Studios won the design competition recently held by the university. Inspired by some of the world’s great public spaces, the design creates a central meeting place for the university community, filled with vibrant student-focused spaces.

ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney

The spaces will range from a grass area lined by sculptural seating to intimate garden ‘pods’ where students can gather in the shade. “Alumni Green will become the green heart we have always wanted,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Ross Milbourne. “I love this design because it captures the bustling, cosmopolitan atmosphere unique to UTS. It embodies exactly what we mean when we say ‘sticky campus’: a place where students want to stay and hang out.”
ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney

The new-look Alumni Green will have three distinct zones, each with its own character and opportunities.
ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney

The Green’ is a large, raised turf platform located opposite Building 2 that can be used for special events like O-Fest, day-to-day student activities or simply a picnic lunch. The landscaped edges of the green will become informal seating areas.
ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney
‘The Heart’, a large paved, open space located at the rear of  Building 1, has been modelled after town squares like Federation  Square in Melbourne or the Pompidou Centre’s forecourt in Paris. It is intended as a ceremonial gathering space for students and visitors alike.
ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney
Easternmost is ‘The Garden’, a mini oasis of trees and plants shading a series of connected student ‘pods’. Each pod caters to a different activity and contains facilities ranging from power outlets for laptops, BBQ facilities and even ping pong tables.
ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney
ASPECT Studios has also proposed a set of Grand Steps leading up to the future Learning Commons (UTS City Campus Library) in Building 2 to enhance the centrality of the Green. “We designed these steps as an opportunity to create a meeting  point like Sydney Town Hall steps,” said ASPECT Studio’s Sacha Coles. “That says a lot about our design: it’s about creating opportunities for people to gather and socialise on campus. We are looking forward to working with the UTS community to develop these ideas.”

ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney
The design competition received 14 entries in total, with 3 runnersup identifi ed. The competition jury praised ASPECT Studio’s entry for the ‘rich range of experiences’, ‘flexibility’ and ‘innovation’ it offered. The revitalised Alumni Green will re-open in 2014. Consultation with students and other UTS stakeholders will be one of the project’s first tasks alongside feasibility studies of the proposed Grand Steps to the Learning Commons. The western section of Alumni Green is currently closed to allow construction of the Thomas Street Building and Library Retrieval System.

ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney
ASPECT Studios wins UTS campus competition in Sydney

IMAGES & TEXT: ASPECT Studios

About Damian Holmes 3253 Articles
Damian Holmes is the Founder and Editor of World Landscape Architecture (WLA). He is a registered landscape architect (AILA) working in international design practice in Australia. Damian founded WLA in 2007 to provide a website for landscape architects written by landscape architects. Connect on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianholmes/