Case Studies
Kambri at ANU
Design Feature
Type of project
Placemaking
State
Australian Capital Territory
Location
Urban
Kambri, the new heart of the Australian National University (ANU), has reframed the centre of the campus to create a vibrant place for socialising, learning and interacting with the wider Canberra community.
A place to connect
Completed in February 2019, the project was created to form strong links between the university and the city, encouraging the Canberra public into the centre of the campus. Through co-locating a unique mix of building functions around a central open space, the project has created an engaging new precinct for Canberra, while resetting the ANU academic experience by merging contemporary learning with an enriched cultural life.
The reconstruction of the heart of the ANU campus was the result of a two-stage design process, the first stage being the preparation of the Urban Design Framework (CIVITAS), the Public Realm Guidelines (OCULUS) and a Place Book (ColonySix). These documents were prepared over a two-year period via consultation with all university faculties, the student population, potential building tenants and the public. From this process, a brief for the Design and Construction phase of the project was created.
BVN Architects were awarded the contract to design six new buildings and lahznimmo architects with ASPECT Studios were awarded the contract to design the public domain. Lendlease were appointed to manage the design and construction of the works. This process included the preparation of new and more detailed designs following further consultation with the university faculties, Aboriginal Elders, working groups and student representatives.
The reconstruction of the heart of the ANU campus was the result of a two-stage design process, the first stage being the preparation of the Urban Design Framework (CIVITAS), the Public Realm Guidelines (OCULUS) and a Place Book (ColonySix). These documents were prepared over a two-year period via consultation with all university faculties, the student population, potential building tenants and the public. From this process, a brief for the Design and Construction phase of the project was created.
BVN Architects were awarded the contract to design six new buildings and lahznimmo architects with ASPECT Studios were awarded the contract to design the public domain. Lendlease were appointed to manage the design and construction of the works. This process included the preparation of new and more detailed designs following further consultation with the university faculties, Aboriginal Elders, working groups and student representatives.
Designs were submitted to the National Capital Authority for approval and developed to a level suitable for construction, with construction fast tracked between July 2017 and February 2019. The works were completed in time for students to move into the new accommodation at the start of the 2019 University year.
The Kambri project brings a concentration of uses to the centre of the campus to establish a precinct that is legible and inviting across day and night. Sullivans Creek (which runs through the University) has been reinvigorated with substantial areas of native planting and a generous cycle and pedestrian pathway. The pathway creates a strong north-south link through the campus, connecting to the broader open space network.
Furthermore, cultural, dining, sports, teaching, health and student accommodation buildings have been arranged around a central open space in the campus, to create a highly activated precinct. The ground floor uses have been carefully considered to create a range of retail, dining, student services, and cultural and wellbeing functions to optimise social interactions between students, staff and the wider community. The new ground floor will enable ANU to provide an environment for students and staff that prioritises wellbeing.
The Kambri project brings a concentration of uses to the centre of the campus to establish a precinct that is legible and inviting across day and night. Sullivans Creek (which runs through the University) has been reinvigorated with substantial areas of native planting and a generous cycle and pedestrian pathway. The pathway creates a strong north-south link through the campus, connecting to the broader open space network.
Furthermore, cultural, dining, sports, teaching, health and student accommodation buildings have been arranged around a central open space in the campus, to create a highly activated precinct. The ground floor uses have been carefully considered to create a range of retail, dining, student services, and cultural and wellbeing functions to optimise social interactions between students, staff and the wider community. The new ground floor will enable ANU to provide an environment for students and staff that prioritises wellbeing.
Working with the Aboriginal Elders, opportunities to celebrate Aboriginal culture were woven into the project, resulting in a strong relationship between the central open space and the creek, new artworks, a cultural garden and signage elements which form the beginning of an Aboriginal culture trail that follows the creek southwards.
In parallel with the strong focus on social sustainability, the project was developed to achieve a One Planet Sustainability rating, which guided decisions around construction methods, materials selections, building orientation, water recycling and plant species selection.
Kambri contributes to a wider appreciation of urban design at the precinct scale through its sensitivity and focus on people and environment. This common thread, carried through all stages of the project, conveys authenticity and demonstrates the potential of urban design to create a strong sense of place and identity.
In parallel with the strong focus on social sustainability, the project was developed to achieve a One Planet Sustainability rating, which guided decisions around construction methods, materials selections, building orientation, water recycling and plant species selection.
Kambri contributes to a wider appreciation of urban design at the precinct scale through its sensitivity and focus on people and environment. This common thread, carried through all stages of the project, conveys authenticity and demonstrates the potential of urban design to create a strong sense of place and identity.
Project team
- lahznimmo architects with ASPECT Studios (Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)
- ColonySix, CIVITAS and OCULUS (Urban Design Framework Master Plan)
- BVN Architects (Architecture)
- Australian National University
- Aboriginal Elders
- Lendlease
Project Cost
$260 Million
Health Value
- The design of Kambri prioritises physical and mental wellbeing and health through provision of a range of places to socialise, study and be active outside. These places are complimentary to indoor building uses, such as the gym, swimming pools and medical consulting suites.
- The new University Avenue provides a generous central boulevard predominantly used as a shared pedestrian/cycleway, encouraging active transport access to Campus.
- The design seeks to foster a strong connection to nature by designing open spaces to heighten awareness of the creek and encouraging people to spend time along its banks.
Economic value
- For economic sustainability, the project integrated a mix of student accommodation, retail tenancies (including dining, a supermarket and a convenience store), privately managed indoor pool and gym and health consultant suites and a main events space, which is available for bookings. This mix was carefully crafted to create a precinct that is economically viable, both when university is in session and during university holidays.
- Co-locating cultural, sporting, health, teaching, dining and student services functions together in the heart of the place allows for the future gradual transformation of ANU into a more legible and lively campus and sets a benchmark for university experiences.
Environmental Value
- Sullivans Creek has been reinvigorated with substantial areas of native planting and a generous cycle and pedestrian pathway. The pathway creates a strong north-south link through the campus, in line with the Griffin Legacy Policy Framework, which conceives Sullivans Creek as Green Pedestrian Spine linking the Lake’s edge to North Canberra.
- The new University Avenue is flanked by rain gardens that filter runoff before it is captured and reused for irrigation of the gardens across the site.
- Planting was also carefully chosen, with a majority of local native species combined with select exotic species to create a distinctive landscape that will provide comfortable microclimates throughout the year (through location of deciduous or evergreen trees), as well as attracting local fauna.
Social value
- The name of the new precinct ‘Kambri’ means ‘meeting place’ and was gifted to the University by local Aboriginal Elders. Kambri provides a new vibrant social and cultural focus for the Campus, bringing together staff, students and the broader Canberra community.
- The focus of Kambri is a large raised events lawn fringed by trees and a modulated edge, providing inviting spaces for lounging, informal sports and live music. Strategic pedestrian connections are made across the lawn, formalising desire lines and stitching the precinct together. These connections are further strengthened by the architecture, which sets up a series of framed dramatic views and thresholds.
- The ground level building uses are predominantly retail, creating an interactive edge to the lawn. The diverse building typologies defining the precinct set up a “raised public domain” through a series of decks and balconies overlooking the lawn.
- The terraced creek edge and amphitheatre create a gradual connection from the lawn down to the water, providing a flexible space for lounging and soaking up the sun, as well as incorporating a stage for curated events.
- The building ground floor uses were chosen to create an 18-hour day precinct that is a safe and positive social environment for all users.
Use value
- The precinct has been designed to act as the social hub of the campus, providing diverse entertainment and culture and recreation options for the campus and Canberra community. This includes a large indoor events facility that has a rich program of events, including Ted talks, book launches, dance performances, music performances and lectures. This is partnered by the smaller outdoor performance space at the creek edge, that has hosted plays, talks and outdoor cinema events.
- Of particular focus during the development of the design were ways of providing for the needs of students from diverse backgrounds, often with English as a second language. The student representatives on the Working Group provided insights into the types of affordable retail and food offerings, as well as the range of free outdoor uses that students would be looking for. Providing multiple opportunities to study outdoors and gather in groups of varying sizes were key uses that underpinned the design thinking.
References
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