Bates Smart ™

Faculty of Arts, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences
The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne

Bates Smart was commissioned as architect and interior designer to develop the new Graduate School for the Faculty of Arts. The objective of the Graduate School is to enable cross-faculty and inter-faculty collaboration on a scale not previously recognised.

The key objectives can best be described as:

• providing a contemporary and collaborative learning environment that is currently not available in the Faculty
• improving the current amenity and consolidating the School into a singular location
• providing dynamic learning and teaching environments
• providing administrative support spaces for student services
• giving the opportunity for students and staff to experience a high level of intimate and individual service

The planning on levels 1 and 2 offers the following features:

• clear entry and identity for the Graduate School
• visual coherence and a strong visual language upon entry to the building
• clear way-finding providing clear circulation throughout the building
• better utilisation of existing rooms for new graduate course classes
• re-location of centrally booked teaching spaces, to ensure the building has a clearly defined facility use

Other facilities include the refurbishment to Old Arts Hall, providing a social and informal space for students that can be transformed into a space for Faculty launches and events.