Arts West Redevelopment University of Melbourne

The Arts West project involved the refurbishment and extension of an existing seven-storey building comprising two wings constructed in the 1960s and 1990s. Over 5,000m² of space was refurbished and updated, and an extension of 3,300m² constructed to provide a flexible teaching environment for the faculty of Art including enabling of a new digital humanities and e-teaching strategy.

With the University’s strong sustainability mandate for the project to achieve a 4 Star Green rating for the refurbishment and a 5 Star Green Star rating for the new build extension, our role as Independent Commissioning Agent was a critical element in ensuring design intent and construction delivery translated into operational results.

Garrit Schot said, "Because the university is a long-term owner and manager of the asset, ensuring commissioning results in a property that operates efficiently now and into the future is crucial. There is also an added challenge in undertaking works on a live university site and managing activities in a way that protects staff and student safety and minimises disruption".