Barr Smith South common teaching spaces

More than 300 students participated in consultation sessions for a major refurbishment of Barr Smith South, which resulted in a visually engaging common teaching area.

This project was the last in a series of upgrades under the Teaching Spaces Master Plan (2014-2019), which provided guidelines to improve the quality and sustainability of common teaching areas, and support small group discovery through flexible, tech-enabled design. The design of the Architecture Studio was done in consultation with first-year Architecture students who chose a floor pattern that looked like a 1:1 model-making cutting mat. The unique grid is mirrored by an exposed unistrut grid on the ceiling, which is intended for students to suspend their architectural models.

Project overview

Location: Levels 2, 3 and 5, Barr Smith South, North Terrace Campus
Size: 1,400 m²
Cost: $5.2 million
Architect: ARM Architecture

Features

Creation of two 90-seat common teaching areas, five project rooms and extensive breakout spaces
New studio for first-year Architecture students
Improved way finding and access to the external lift and student kitchen
New student restroom facilities
Upgrades to stairwells