The University of Melbourne Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning is conceived not simply as a place of education, but as a built manifesto for design thinking itself. Designed by John Wardle Architects in collaboration with NADAAA, the building positions architecture as a living, didactic act, of one that reveals processes, systems and spatial relationships as tools for learning.

At the heart of the building is the Studio Hall, a vast, multi‑level volume that functions as the social and intellectual engine of the faculty. Flooded with filtered daylight beneath a coffered timber roof, the hall supports informal occupation throughout the day, encouraging exchange between students, staff and visiting critics. Rather than segregating circulation and teaching spaces, studios, balconies and work areas are layered around this central void, transforming movement into moments of collaboration and discovery.

The building weaves heritage and contemporary architecture into a cohesive whole. Historic façades – including the former Bank of New South Wales frontage, are carefully retained and reframed, grounding the project within the campus’s architectural lineage while opening onto a new courtyard and public realm. Externally, a nuanced façade system responds to orientation and climate, employing shading devices and material variation to balance performance with expression.

As both a highly functional academic facility and a pedagogical instrument, the building demonstrates architecture’s capacity to teach through making; embodying the values of experimentation, adaptability and environmental responsibility that define contemporary architectural education.

Product

Tasmanian Ash, Quarter Cut, Bookmatched

Architect

John Wardle Architects

Project

Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne

Photography

John Horner, Roland Halbe, Peter Bennetts