New gateway to the CBD

The University of Technology, Sydney, hopes its plans for the spectacular Broadway Building will result in a new defining landmark on the southern edge of the UTS City Campus.

UTS have engaged project management and construction group Lend Lease to deliver pre-construction services which include providing solutions to design, engineering and sustainability challenges.

UTS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources), Patrick Woods, said the prominent location and distinctive design of the building will make it a gateway, not only to the campus, but also to Sydney’s CBD as commuters enter from the west.

“The construction of this building needs to be spot on,” said Mr Woods. “Sitting at the intersection of two key arterial roads, it will also be seen as an entry point to the Sydney CBD.”

Lend Lease will work closely with the university, architectural firm Denton Corker Marshall and a multi-disciplinary team to ensure the challenges can be resolved in a cost-effective manner.

The 44,000 square-metre building’s design will include the unique aluminium “binary” screens – perforated with binary code – which will be the key feature of the façade, a targeted five-star Green rating, and a large, light-filled atrium that will run through the heart of the building.

Lend Lease will also be tasked with facilitating the tender processes for all trade packages, from which it will submit a final lump sum price to UTS.

Subject to the acceptance of the final package, Lend Lease will enter into the contract to manage the construction of the building which is expected to commence in early 2012. It is anticipated the project will complete no later than late 2013.

“This new building will be built on an active campus, so one of the selection criteria was the ability to mitigate any construction impacts on the university’s teaching, learning and research operations,” said Mr Woods. “Lend Lease has demonstrated the ability to respond to these requirements.”

The UTS Broadway Building, located on the corner of Wattle St and Broadway in Ultimo, will house 4,000 students and 1,000 staff of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.

The project has received $50million from the Federal Government’s Education Infrastructure Fund and is a key component of the UTS City Campus Master Plan – a $1 billion transformation.