Melbourne School of Engineering Alterations
University of Melbourne
Featured projects
In 2015 the Melbourne School of Engineering established a ten-year strategy, MSE 2025, to define the School’s commitment in positioning the University of Melbourne as one of the world’s leading universities. MSE 2025 outlines the School’s strategic plan for its investment in new infrastructure and its plans to strengthen industry engagement for both students and staff to inspire innovation and the development of transformative technologies of the future.
Project Overview
In line with the MSE 2025 vision, the Melbourne School of Engineering has undertaken works to enhance the Old Engineering Building, home of the School of Engineering in Parkville since the late 1860s, and the Engineering Workshop. Both the North Wing of the Old Engineering Building and the Engineering Workshop underwent significant structural, mechanical, electrical and fire safety upgrades as part of the works.
Equipped with the latest in research technology, the upgraded Engineering Workshop and Old Engineering Building feature an array of bookable and flexible meeting and work spaces for students and industry collaborators. The new pedestrian linkway through the Engineering Workshop also connects the space with other student precincts increasing engagement with the wider Parkville campus.
Our Role
RP Infrastructure was appointed to provide project management services for the alterations to the Engineering Workshop and Old Engineering Building providing program and staging advice for the project’s implementation. RP Infrastructure was also engaged to act as superintendent on behalf of the University of Melbourne throughout the construction period.
Key Challenge
The project was required to overcome significant existing conditions and heritage requirements that demanded the application of proactive leadership to investigate and formulate strategies to overcome the challenges at hand.
Working almost exclusively in a ‘live’ environment within an operational campus precinct, surrounded by pedestrians and traffic, the project required a particular focus on safety, time management, contractor management and the University’s operational and academic considerations.
The adaptive re-use of the North Wing of the Old Engineering Building and Engineering Workshop have transformed the historic buildings into contemporary spaces to enable an enhanced student experience and to accommodate anticipated growth in student and staff numbers.