A Knowledge Neighbourhood

Melbourne Polytechnic Collingwood is a pioneering higher education facility delivering a significant $40M refurbishment to its existing campus. With state-of-the-art vocational and practical learning, the precinct supports students in one of inner Melbourne’s most diverse, thriving communities. Equally, the campus can become a social transformer for the broader community, creating brighter pathways for everybody.

Completed in March 2024, the project focused on refurbishing the existing campus in Collingwood - one of seven in Melbourne Polytechnic’s network – comprising a large eight-storey building built in the brutalist style. As one of the largest providers of vocational and practical training in Victoria, the campus is an important place stitched into Collingwood’s urban fabric, but its facilities were out of date and affecting learning and social outcomes.

The building’s refurbishment focuses on reimagining the brutalist building with a renewed cultural heart. By opening up formerly dark and enclosed spaces, the new state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities are immersed in natural light, sustainability and inclusivity. Not only does the building meet the current standards for the delivery of higher education but it offers training spaces to meet the demand for the future economy, enhances safety with improved view corridors and passive observation, and becomes a knowledge hub for the surrounding neighbourhoods, including Collingwood Yards and the Collingwood Arts Precinct.

The scope included:

• A new entrance building to provide accessibility to the building from Otter Street.

• Refurbishment of the existing eight-level building of more than 10,000 sqm through an extensive fit-out.

• Replacement of all building plant and services infrastructure, supporting a multi-tenanted service model, a new lift core and a new substation.

• Upgrade of external areas including landscaping and a new indigenous cultural garden to be completed in conjunction with the institution’s horticultural team.

On Otter Street, a new annexe building re-establishes the entrance with fluted aluminium fins and materiality referencing the industrial warehouses and factory context. The circular window on the façade references the historic warehouses and factories in the area and includes a cold shell fit-out space with the ability to be fitted out as a café.

Internally, the building works harder than previously through careful programming and design agility with multi-functional layouts across each floor. It incorporates high-end technology and supports blended learning, creating engaging spaces where students are eager to learn in. These include a library, presentation spaces, community and industry engagement, theatrette, student lounge, Changing Places facility, and staff amenities – each finished with a soft, neutral and warm palette. Existing tenants Auslan, DeafConnectEd and Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) are on levels 4 and 5 with two further levels tenant-ready also featuring a cold shell fit-out.

Externally, the back of the building – an old television studio on the Perry Street side – was pulled off to create better permeability and natural light directly into the campus. A link bridge was retained and this rear area has been remodelled including an indigenous garden and social spot for students to gather.

Open and accessible with no fencing, central walkways, a proposed laneway and permeable setbacks, the campus invites the community in, creating a town square vibrancy that promotes wellbeing, inclusion, engagement and activity for all – central to Melbourne Polytechnic’s values. For example, at the main Otter Street entrance, an effective ‘front garden’ includes a grass lawn with a projector wall, giving back green space to the community and creating a sense of ownership for the students.

Through rigorous consultation with senior stakeholder groups, Tectura’s core response was to celebrate the organisation’s key mission – to offer a different way to learn – and we are proud to deliver a program that will continue the campus’ tradition of education and strong links with industry and the community.