- Description
The transformation of a 1960s Modernist Building on The University of Queensland St Lucia Campus.
CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE
The University of Queensland Student Union Complex was Queensland’s first purpose-built, student-planned, and operated facility of its kind. It played a pivotal role in the state’s political protest movements from the 1960s to the 1980s, marking a milestone in societal progress.
Designed by Stephen Trotter of Fulton Collin & Associates, a recent graduate at the time, the Complex is notable for its aesthetic significance, expressed through a series of pavilions integrated into the landscape. It exemplifies New Formalism, a modern architectural style characterised by clear functional expression and strong identity.*
MASTERPLAN
The masterplan seeks to create a vibrant student experience through reimagined programmatic arrangements within the Complex. Drawing on the historical design principle of “pavilions in the landscape,” it introduces significant urban design interventions to enhance wayfinding, precinct connectivity, and integration with the broader St Lucia campus.
In April 2023, the University of Queensland appointed Lyons (as principal design consultant), alongside Hogg & Lamb, Atelier Chen Hung, Alice Hampson Architects, and CUSP Landscape Architects, to collaboratively deliver the UQ Union Complex Redevelopment.
BUILDING 21A SOUTH – THE ADMINISTRATION BLOCK
Atelier Chen Hung is designing the adaptive reuse of Building 21A South, the former Union Administration Block.
As one of the original structures in the Student Union Complex, Building 21A South serves as a significant entry point to the complex with distinctive architectural features. Characterised by horizontal projecting planes, a rectilinear pond, and prominent masonry walls, it stands as an exemplar of the New Formalist style. With the extensive use of “Union” screen blocks for natural ventilation and water features for cooling, it also demonstrates innovative design tailored to a subtropical climate.*
The proposed refurbishment integrates informal learning spaces within the broader masterplan while restoring the building’s original architectural quality as a pavilion. Sustainability is central to the project, with a mixed-mode ventilation strategy and the reinstatement of shading and cooling architectural elements to minimise operational carbon footprint.
* Alice Hampson Architects, University of Queensland Student Union Complex, Cultural Management Plan. (June 2024)
