Conlon Birrell

The garden campus reflects the architectural innovation and forward thinking design practice present throughout the history of the Nation’s Capital, Canberra – one initially rendered by Walter Burley Griffin.

The design focuses on setting up a central urban plaza that forms the spine to the surrounding University campus. Its character is set apart from the ‘bush’ surrounds through a suite of unique materials, a formalised layout and seasonal planting giving the spine a more urban character. The spine brings clarity to the existing buildings and guides public art and cultural activities – it forms the ‘glue’ to the existing and future campus developments.

A tree-planting design along the concourse creates a series of intimate spaces. Large vistas generate seasonal colour and critically provide shade. A change to the scale of trees and play in topography delineates between the intimate and the grand spaces, each with its own unique character. Existing vegetation has been maintained and incorporated into the concourse design where possible. The existing eucalypts have been used to form a visual and physical link to the University Green, connecting the concourse to the greater bush character.

A change in character throughout the concourse is enhanced by modifications to the furniture palette that respond to the primary use and scale of the space. Underlying this is an intricate paving pattern that runs the length of the concourse like a grand carpet. The unmistakable paving helps give a sense of character to the concourse and links all the unique spaces.

Conlon Birrell Landscape Architects entered the University of Canberra Campus Ideas Competition in association with fellow landscape architects Matt Grunbaum and Ali Gaunt (lightbox3dv - http://lightbox3dv.com.au/).  We produced a realistic scheme that could be integrated into the existing framework of the University while activating space and creating place. The design looked at utilising all of the University’s faculties during the design and construction phases of the project to create a sense of ownership and community empowerment.