A look inside Australia’s tallest university

ISPT recently opened VU City Tower, our collaboration with Victoria University to bring several of their campuses together in one vertical facility. The tower creates a dynamic and interactive learning community where each floor is a street, each school is a neighbourhood and a whole city is formed within the campus.

Redefining the learning experience

VU City Tower provides an abundance of student-centric spaces over 32 levels and 24,146 sqm. Each floor is custom designed for the end user and colour themes assist students in navigating the campus and differentiating each space. It’s a redefined learning experience where no two classrooms are the same:

• A vibrant internal stairway is the social spine of VU City Tower, and integral to the building’s circulation. It’s surrounded by shared spaces that create a dynamic sense of movement and form activity zones on each level.
• Shared informal learning spaces and commons adapt to individual student needs and encourage peer-to-peer learning while connecting with the wider CBD through panoramic views.
• The student and social hub on Level 10 represents the outdoor space of a traditional low-rise campus. Positioned in the middle of the building with green tones that emulate a parkland space, it includes a student lounge, external balcony and a future café.
• The frontage on Little Lonsdale Street incorporates an existing heritage building into the façade, retaining historic elements and forming part of the Library on Level 1 and a café on the ground floor.
• The tower is designed for the VU Block Model, which teaches one subject intensively for 4-6 weeks in small classrooms, while specialist learning and clinic spaces such as dermal therapy, hairdressing and osteopathy support practical and immersive learning.

Student-centric design

Letitia Hope, Partnership Specialist says the state-of-the-art education precinct is driven by innovation and end-user experience.

“We’re thrilled to have worked alongside Victoria University to bring their vision to life and develop a forward-thinking educational precinct that will excite and engage students for years to come. ISPT has aligned with the values of the University to deliver a progressive learning facility that is agile and adaptive to new ideas that have not yet been imagined.”

VU City Tower is ISPT’s first completed project in our Education sector and an innovative, sustainable, digitally-enabled and industry-focussed precinct.  It’s a truly-fit-for-purpose, world-class education facility in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD

Watch our story here.