School of Engineering

University of Melbourne

Merat Architects managed the consolidation of undergraduate practice laboratories for the School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne. The project brought together mechanical, chemical and biological teaching streams within the one space. To achieve the end result a new mezzanine floor was constructed within the existing ‘high bay’ basement of the School.

 

Appreciation of the technical requirements for each piece of apparatus was critical to the successful completion of the project. Careful placement of apparatus and appreciation of the student numbers involved with each teaching modal enabled collocation of diverse streams within an open planned space.

 

The design team was faced with many obstacles to overcome within the basement of the building such as how to arrange discharge of fumes via ducting to the rooftop of the building, placement of gas headers and associated alarms, solvent storage and OH&S issues associated with the movement of heavy apparatus.

 

A series of large movable benches form the core of the open planned teaching able to be arranged to suit a diverse array of teaching streams.