Telephone +61 7 3844 1362
studio@shanethompson.com.au
47 Wahcumba St, Dutton Park
PO Box 1170 Fortitude Valley
Queensland 4006 Australia
The new Faculty of Arts Student Services building for the University of the Sunshine Coast was the fourth stage of development for this dynamic new university. The brief for this building called for a multi-disciplinary program which included the Student Administration and Student Services departments within the Arts Faculty. The arts spaces have been designed to be 50 per cent flexible general teaching areas and 50 per cent areas dedicated to computer-based art and design laboratories.
University policies require that low life-cycle cost and passive principles for lighting and cooling be utilised wherever possible. The use of a system of thermal chimney walls to the southeast and northwest, thermal roof chimneys, varying operable window systems and solar activated perforated aluminium sunscreen systems respond to environmental aspects of the brief.
In response to the university masterplan, the building uses the entire designated site area, and in doing so creates sheltered internal public space. The building emphasises pedestrian movement around the central courtyard and colonnade required by the masterplan.