Work has officially commenced on La Trobe University's new $100 million Student Accommodation Project at the University's Melbourne Campus.
Member for Bundoora, the Honourable Colin Brooks MP, today marked the formal commencement of construction with a tour of the worksite.
The accommodation - comprising 624 beds and two new buildings - is the largest single project investment in La Trobe University's 50-year history. It is also the largest project of its kind in Victoria to utilise mass-engineered timber for construction.
Over the life of the project, the project will support an estimated 500 direct and indirect jobs.
La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Dewar, said the project was a key element of the University's $5 billion University City of the Future plan.
"The work site is humming with activity following this exciting first step of construction and the installation of a 45-metre-tall tower crane on campus," Professor Dewar said.
"Once completed, our state-of-the-art accommodation facilities will enable a total of 2,150 students to live and study at our Melbourne campus, enhancing their University experience while studying at La Trobe."
Professor Dewar presented Mr Brooks with an engraved commemorative piece of cross-laminated timber to mark this important milestone.
Work on the Student Accommodation Project is on track for completion in 2020.
Key features and benefits
- 624 beds across two buildings, open to students beginning their studies in the second semester of 2020 (July)
- The accommodation will comprise of single, four, five and six bed apartments, including 13 accessible units, common amenities spaces and landscaping that joins the two buildings together
- The new accommodation will increase the number of beds at the Melbourne Campus in Bundoora to 2,150
Sustainable and innovative design
- Designed by JCB Architects, the new Student Accommodation building includes a range of environmentally sustainable features that showcase La Trobe's commitment to sustainable practices and maintaining its Green Star Communities accreditation:
- The Student Accommodation Project is a mass engineered timber construction project that will utilise Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) - a new, sustainable and renewable construction technology
- The unique, arc-shaped buildings have been designed to respond to the existing environment at the campus, with most of the existing trees being preserved in the placement and shape of the buildings
- 5 Star Green Star building
- Accelerated construction techniques such as pod bathrooms, prefabricated concrete and Cross Laminated Timber will fast-track construction and minimise impact and noise on site.
