Frank Gehry's first building in Australia, the Dr. Chau Chak Wing Building at the University of Technology, Sydney, has been completed. The building, primarily for use by the UTS business school, includes classrooms, a collaborative theater, a 240-seat auditorium, and a sculptural staircase made of stainless steel.
On the east and west sides of the building, there are different façades designed to represent the past and the present, in a way. The eastern façade is made of waved brick to reference the area's sandstone heritage, while the western façade is made of glass panels to remind viewers of the building's contemporary context, according to designboom.
The fluid brickwork of the eastern façade is comprised of 320,000 pieces made by hand. Some of the bricks protrude from the façade, creating a pattern within the structure's larger geometry. Five custom forms had to be made to achieve the fluid effect of the façade. The windows are gridded and project outward, presenting a contrast with the building's mass.
The name of the $180 million building comes from the Australian-Chinese businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Chau Chak Wing, who donated $20 million for its construction. Wing also donated $5 million for the creation of an endowment fund for Australia-China scholarships.
Photo credit: Andrew Worssam, courtesy UTS
Photo credit: Andrew Worssam, courtesy UTS
Photo credit: Andrew Worssam, courtesy UTS
Photo credit: Andrew Worssam, courtesy UTS
Photo credit: Andrew Worssam, courtesy UTS
Related Stories
Higher Education | Apr 17, 2023
Rider University opens a 'Zen Den' for restoring students' mental well-being
Rider University partnered with Spiezle Architectural Group to create a relaxation room for students, dubbed "The Zen Den."
Higher Education | Apr 13, 2023
Higher education construction costs for 2023
Fresh data from Gordian breaks down the average cost per square foot for a two-story college classroom building across 10 U.S. cities.
Urban Planning | Apr 12, 2023
Watch: Trends in urban design for 2023, with James Corner Field Operations
Isabel Castilla, a Principal Designer with the landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations, discusses recent changes in clients' priorities about urban design, with a focus on her firm's recent projects.
Market Data | Apr 11, 2023
Construction crane count reaches all-time high in Q1 2023
Toronto, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Denver top the list of U.S/Canadian cities with the greatest number of fixed cranes on construction sites, according to Rider Levett Bucknall's RLB Crane Index for North America for Q1 2023.
University Buildings | Apr 11, 2023
Supersizing higher education: Tracking the rise of mega buildings on university campuses
Mega buildings on higher education campuses aren’t unusual. But what has been different lately is the sheer number of supersized projects that have been in the works over the last 12–15 months.
Contractors | Apr 10, 2023
What makes prefabrication work? Factors every construction project should consider
There are many factors requiring careful consideration when determining whether a project is a good fit for prefabrication. JE Dunn’s Brian Burkett breaks down the most important considerations.
Smart Buildings | Apr 7, 2023
Carnegie Mellon University's research on advanced building sensors provokes heated controversy
A research project to test next-generation building sensors at Carnegie Mellon University provoked intense debate over the privacy implications of widespread deployment of the devices in a new 90,000-sf building. The light-switch-size devices, capable of measuring 12 types of data including motion and sound, were mounted in more than 300 locations throughout the building.
Collegiate Stadiums | Apr 4, 2023
6 examples of modern college training facilities
HOK discusses the future of college training facilities, with six design takeaways derived from a discussion between Dan Radakovich, Director of Athletics at the University of Miami, and Trevor Bechtold, Director, HOK’s Sports + Recreation + Entertainment practice.
Education Facilities | Apr 3, 2023
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center opens academic center for affordable education and training
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center, which provides career-specific training to adults and high school students, has completed its Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus—a two-story, 155,000-sf academic building. The project aims to fill the growing community’s rising demand for affordable education and training.
Designers | Mar 28, 2023
Inclusive design requires relearning how we read space
Pulling from his experience during a campus design workshop, David Johnson, AIA, LEED AP, encourages architects to better understand how to design spaces that are inclusive for everyone.
