Arts West wins!

We are very excited that ARM and Architectus’s University of Melbourne Arts West building has won the 2017 Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture and an Educational Architecture Award from the Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Chapter.

It was also named the 2017 Overall Winner at the Awards for Excellence in Educational Facilities (Association for Learning Environments Australasia) Annual Regional Awards in as part of the eXperience Asia conference in Singapore in July. It also won the Education Initiative or Design Solution for an Innovative Program Award, plus a commendation in the New Construction/New Individual Facility category. It competed against 71 other entries from Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

The jury said the building succeeds in its two-fold task of creating stimulating educational spaces and an identity for the Faculty of Arts.

“Imaginative and sophisticated architectural and instruction design at its best…It combines the best of contemporary museum learning with collaborative studio based learning, and achieves a Five Star Green Star rating.” 

—Association for Learning Environments Australasia

After two semesters, Arts West has proven popular with its staff and students.

Students have voted Arts West the best selfie location on campus.

“We have been overwhelmed by how our students and the university community have embraced the building…an innovative, creative and fun place that opens people’s minds to the rich possibilities of an arts education.”

—Joanne Ligouris, Executive Director, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne

Breakout study space

ARM and Architectus winning design team