Hassell won the Institutional award at the 2024 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) for the Michael Kirby Building at Macquarie University in Sydney.
The international design practice took what was once a concrete administration building built in 1985 and cracked it wide open, offering students and staff of Macquarie University’s Law School and Department of Philosophy a revitalised open timber structure in which to learn, work and interact.
The Michael Kirby Building’s interior also considers the university’s future, with internal spaces designed at various scales for adaptation over time.
“Upcycling the structure of a former admin building, the Michael Kirby Building prioritises a low-carbon timber structure and materiality,” commented IDEA 2024 jury chair Clare Cousins. “Centred around the light-filled atrium, the crafted interior fosters connection, collaboration and a sense of wellbeing.”
Australian Design Review (ADR) spoke with Hassell principal Kevin Lloyd about the enduring ambition for the project and the lessons it offered to the studio.
Kevin Lloyd: Receiving recognition for our design of Macquarie University’s Michael Kirby Building is humbling and a testament to the work our design team have put in to revitalise this upcycled building and create an enduring legacy for years to come.
Our project was in great company, up against incredible institutional projects by esteemed designers across our industry – we’re very grateful for the acknowledgement.
KL: The Michael Kirby Building is the new home of Macquarie University Law School, the Department of Philosophy and a resource for the wider campus. We set out to design a centre for learning and a place to make people feel comfortable.
Our initial reaction was to solve the existing building’s lack of connection to the broader campus. We recognised the opportunity to open up the building and provide additional floor space to create a vibrant new focal point for the university.
Named after Michael Kirby, the former Justice of the High Court of Australia and the University’s first Emeritus Chancellor, we’ve transformed the 1985-built administration centre into a more expansive and flexible four-storey building featuring a lighter timber-framed structural system and glazed façade.
It’s all about transparency, connectedness and accessibility. The interior is now linked to the external tree canopy that defines Wally’s Walk – the pedestrian spine that runs through the campus and surrounding public spaces.
The adaptive reuse of an existing ground and first-floor concrete structure with a formerly under-used external courtyard now champions a naturally ventilated top-lit atrium, which creates a sense of openness and wellbeing while housing various indoor and outdoor gathering spaces that encourage interaction and the exchange of ideas.
KL: Overall, we wanted our expansive and transparent design to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation among staff, students, alums, researchers and industry partners.
Our ambition was to design a building that was able to adapt over time, with internal spaces designed at various scales to address the University’s evolving needs.
The adaptive reuse of the existing ground concrete structure is designed to specifically reduce carbon emissions and extend the life of the building into the future. We enhanced energy efficiency and air quality through natural passive ventilation in the building’s atrium and connected circulation spaces. The intentional use of exposed cross-laminated timber, void of applied finishes, further reduces carbon emissions while the building is connected to the campus-wide central energy and chilled water network, reducing the need for individual equipment.
Hassell always strives to create enduring designs that leave a lasting legacy – our aim is to build a better future by creating places that improve lives and make society more regenerative, resilient and inclusive.
KL: With any project we’re designing, our intention is to always build less, so we are creating a more sustainable future. So, reducing applied finishes where possible and specifically with this project, trying to remove aluminium from the fitout of the building where possible.
The importance of a strong team is also something to take note of. The outcome wouldn’t have been as successful without the input from MQU, FDC, TTW and all the subcontractors involved in the project. Everyone worked together for a common goal, which is evident in the overall quality of what has been produced.
KL: We’re working in a fast-moving global context where big issues like social inequality, climate change and urbanisation are presenting new challenges and opportunities for design. We recognise our clients need new and different things from the places and spaces we design.
The past year has seen an increasing demand for quality and a craving for more memorable and personalised experiences. It’s clear there’s an imperative to deliver sustainable and regenerative design that guarantees long term value for both people and the planet.
At Hassell, we’re looking forward to tackling these opportunities and continuing to find solutions to some of today’s most pressing challenges.
KL: We have recently begun work on the Stage 1 Buildings for UNSW’s new Canberra Campus. This is a really exciting project to develop the initial buildings that will set the standard for future development on the site, on a prominent location along Constitution Avenue, part of the National Triangle.
Photography by Nicole England.
IDEA 2024 is proudly brought to you by our sponsors Miele, Cult, Crafted Hardwoods, Neolith, Halliday + Baillie, Krost, MillerKnoll, Laufen, ForestOne, Zenith, Designer Rugs, and supported by our event partners Axolotl, Four Pillars Gin, Moo Brew Beer and Artfull.
Get to know the IDEA 2024 Single Residential winner Alcami Architecture.