RMIT City
Encyclopedia
RMIT City is the original and flagship campus
of the Australian public university
and vocational education
provider, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
(RMIT).
It was established in 1887 by The Hon.
Francis Ormond
, with the assistance of the Council of the Melbourne Trades Hall. It is the largest of RMIT's five campuses; located across the state of Victoria
, as well as in Vietnam
. It is located at the northern end of the Melbourne CBD, and is housed over almost four city blocks. Due to the substantial area the campus occupies, it is often referred to as the "RMIT Quarter" of the city.
RMIT City is located in a multicultural - as well as culturally significant - area of Melbourne, adjacent the State Library of Victoria
and the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre
, and is within walking distance of Lygon Street
's Little Italy
, Lonsdale Street
's Greek Precinct
, Little Bourke Street
's Chinatown
and Elizabeth Street
's iconic Queen Victoria Market
.
It is also at the southern-most end of an area referred to as the "Melbourne Education Precinct". The precinct extends from the RMIT campus, in the CBD, into Parkville
to encompass the neighbouring University of Melbourne
campus as well as a number of research institute
s. The RMIT City and University of Melbourne campuses actually meet at Queensberry Street.
, at the northern end of the Melbourne CBD. Over its 120 year history, the RMIT City campus has since expanded to envelop almost four entire city blocks, and now holds a commanding presence in Melbourne's northern quarter - which is often referred to as the "RMIT Quarter" of the city.
As the original and flagship campus of RMIT, it's the largest and most prominent of its three Australian campuses. Until the mid-1990s, it was RMIT's only campus and was simply referred to as just the "Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology", prior to the establishment of a second campus in Bundoora
, after which it became known at the RMIT City campus. The campus is unlike that of other universities in Victoria
, as it is the only campus entirely constructed within the borders of the Melbourne CBD (other universities also have buildings within the CBD but not a full campus. The closest other university campus to RMIT City is the University of Melbourne
's main campus in the neighbouring suburb of Parkville
).
The campus is divided into four loosely-defined precincts, referred as the "Carlton Precinct", "Justice Precinct", "Swanston Precinct" and "Art Precinct". The campus is often referred to as having "no walls" as it is not constructed within a defined area like most university campuses. However, it is loosely bordered to the north by Queensberry Street, to the east by Lygon
and Russell
streets, to the South by La Trobe Street
and to the West by Elizabeth Street
. There are also a number of buildings not located within the immediate area of the RMIT City campus, including the entire College of Business, which is located on nearby Bourke Street
, and RMIT's Capitol Theatre
on southern Swanston Street
.
The campus is extremely well serviced by train
and tram
; by the large number of trams that run along Swanston Street
and by the Melbourne Central underground train station located adjacent the campus' Swanston Precinct.
A problem associated with the campus is its lack of subsidised student accommodation, due to its CBD location. RMIT Village: Old Melbourne, which is located between RMIT City and the University of Melbourne
's Parkville
campus, is the only student accommodation facility owned by RMIT, and is available to students of RMIT and the University of Melbourne. The residential college
s at the University of Melbourne are also partnered with RMIT, and are available to students of both universities. A large number of privately-operated student accommodation facilities are located directly adjacent as well as nearby the RMIT City campus. However, few are subsidised to meet the financial needs of students. Students of the campus often opt to live in share housing
in the inner suburbs of Melbourne, and commute to university.
and contemporary architecture
as well as Victorian
and gothic revival architecture
. As the campus expanded, RMIT's Council sought to preserve its original and neighbouring historical buildings, including:
Art Precinct
The Art Precinct consists of Buildings 2 and 4 (the historical homes of the RMIT School of Art
) and Building 6 on Bowen Street, Forester's Hall on the corners of Bowen and La Trobe
streets and the original and refurbished sections of Storey Hall on Swanston Street
which houses RMIT Gallery
and the RMIT Union
's First Site Gallery.
Carlton Precinct
The technology-focused Carlton Precinct is defined by all buildings north of Victoria Street
. It was constructed between the 1960s and 1990s, and also includes the new Design Hub building, currently being constructed on northern Swanston Street, due for completion in 2010.
Justice Precinct
The Justice Precinct houses many of RMIT City's historical buildings, which include: the Francis Ormond Building, buildings of the Old Melbourne Gaol, Former Melbourne Magistrates' Court
and Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy
. Its defined by all buildings east of Bowen Street.
Swanston Precinct
The Swanston Precinct is the main access point of the RMIT City campus, and houses some of RMIT's most prominent buildings, including: Building 8, "Info Corner" and the planned new home of RMIT's College of Business, due for completion in 2011. It's defined by most buildings on Swanston Street
, on the west-side of Bowen Street and on neighbouring Elizabeth Street
.
500 million redvelopment, in accordance with RMIT's 2007 - 2010 Infrastructure Plan. The plan has an emphasis on the construction of three new buildings as well as uprgrades to many existing buildings of the RMIT City campus.
An environmentally-friendly, eight level "Design Hub" building is currently being constructed for the RMIT School of Architecture and Design
on the corners of Swanston
and Victoria
streets, as part of a A$800 million redevelopment of the former site of the Carlton and United Beverages brewery by Grocon
. The Design Hub building will incorporate an outer skin of 16,000 sand blasted glass cells, some of which will be photovoltaic solar power
collectors, to help shade and power the building.
The innovative A$185 million "Swanston Academic Building (SAB)", due to be completed in 2013, is a 40,000 square metre construction that will see the relocation and consolidation of RMIT's College of Business (which is currently housed off-site on Bourke Street
in the Melbourne CBD) into the main RMIT City campus area on Swanston Street. The third building, known as the "Swanston-A'Beckett Building (SABB)", will be constructed adjacent the SAB at a later date, and will house various RMIT administration departments.
Major building upgrades in the plan include: the refurbishment of the Francis Ormond Building (the original Working Men's College building); upgrades and the connection of Buildings 2, 4 and 6 to create an "RMIT School of Art
Precinct"; addition of two levels and refurbishment of Building 9 for the eventual relocation of the RMIT School of Media and Communication
; and the refurbishment of the former Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy
for the eventual relocation of the RMIT Graduate School of Business.
The plan also includes some general upgrades to many other existing City campus buildings.
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
of the Australian public university
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
and vocational education
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
provider, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
(RMIT).
It was established in 1887 by The Hon.
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
Francis Ormond
Francis Ormond
Francis Ormond was a Scottish-born Australian pastoralist, member of the Parliament of Victoria and philanthropist in the areas of education and religion....
, with the assistance of the Council of the Melbourne Trades Hall. It is the largest of RMIT's five campuses; located across the state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, as well as in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. It is located at the northern end of the Melbourne CBD, and is housed over almost four city blocks. Due to the substantial area the campus occupies, it is often referred to as the "RMIT Quarter" of the city.
RMIT City is located in a multicultural - as well as culturally significant - area of Melbourne, adjacent the State Library of Victoria
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
and the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre
Melbourne Central Shopping Centre
Melbourne Central is a large shopping centre, office, and public transport hub in the city of Melbourne, Australia. The complex includes the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre, which was refurbished in 2005 by architects Ashton Raggatt McDougall; the Melbourne Central railway station ; and the 211 m...
, and is within walking distance of Lygon Street
Lygon Street, Melbourne
Lygon Street is a street in inner northern Melbourne, Australia running through the suburbs of Carlton, Carlton North, Princes Hill and Brunswick East. Lygon Street's name has become synonymous with Italian restaurants and cafés located in the Carlton part of the street...
's Little Italy
Little Italy, Melbourne
Little Italy, Melbourne in Victoria, Australia , is a "Little Italy" cultural precinct centered around Lygon Street in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Carlton....
, Lonsdale Street
Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Lonsdale Street is located in the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid, it runs roughly east-west. Lonsdale Street's eastern end intersects with Spring Street while its western end intersects with Spencer Street. It is home to multiple office buildings, courts,...
's Greek Precinct
Greek Precinct, Melbourne
The Greek Precinct, Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, is a Greek cultural area centred around the eastern end of Lonsdale Street in the Melbourne city centre...
, Little Bourke Street
Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Little Bourke Street in Melbourne's CBD runs roughly east–west within the Hoddle Grid. It is a one-way street heading in a westward direction...
's Chinatown
Chinatown, Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia's Chinatown is located within the Melbourne Central Business District and is centred near around the eastern end of Little Bourke St. It extends between the corners of Swanston and Spring Streets.-History:...
and Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
Elizabeth Street is one of the main north-south streets in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837.- Geography :...
's iconic Queen Victoria Market
Queen Victoria Market
The Queen Victoria Market is a major landmark in Melbourne, Australia, and at around seven hectares is the largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere. The Market is significant to Melbourne's culture and heritage and has been listed on the Victorian Heritage Register...
.
It is also at the southern-most end of an area referred to as the "Melbourne Education Precinct". The precinct extends from the RMIT campus, in the CBD, into Parkville
Parkville, Victoria
Parkville is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne. At the 2006 Census, the population was 4,980....
to encompass the neighbouring University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
campus as well as a number of research institute
Research institute
A research institute is an establishment endowed for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research...
s. The RMIT City and University of Melbourne campuses actually meet at Queensberry Street.
About RMIT City
RMIT's historic foundation campus was established in 1887 as "The Working Men's College", in a single building on La Trobe StreetLa Trobe Street, Melbourne
La Trobe Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs roughly from east to west and forms the northern boundary of the CBD ....
, at the northern end of the Melbourne CBD. Over its 120 year history, the RMIT City campus has since expanded to envelop almost four entire city blocks, and now holds a commanding presence in Melbourne's northern quarter - which is often referred to as the "RMIT Quarter" of the city.
As the original and flagship campus of RMIT, it's the largest and most prominent of its three Australian campuses. Until the mid-1990s, it was RMIT's only campus and was simply referred to as just the "Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology", prior to the establishment of a second campus in Bundoora
Bundoora, Victoria
Bundoora is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km north from the Melbourne central business district. Its Local Government Area are the cities of Banyule, Darebin and Whittlesea. At the 2006 Census, Bundoora had a population of 24,018....
, after which it became known at the RMIT City campus. The campus is unlike that of other universities in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, as it is the only campus entirely constructed within the borders of the Melbourne CBD (other universities also have buildings within the CBD but not a full campus. The closest other university campus to RMIT City is the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
's main campus in the neighbouring suburb of Parkville
Parkville, Victoria
Parkville is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne. At the 2006 Census, the population was 4,980....
).
Campus location
Lygon Street, Melbourne
Lygon Street is a street in inner northern Melbourne, Australia running through the suburbs of Carlton, Carlton North, Princes Hill and Brunswick East. Lygon Street's name has become synonymous with Italian restaurants and cafés located in the Carlton part of the street...
and Russell
Russell Street, Melbourne
Russell Street is a north-south street in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837. At its southern end it intersects with Flinders Street and Federation Square, while at its northern end it becomes Lygon Street, a street famous for its...
streets, to the South by La Trobe Street
La Trobe Street, Melbourne
La Trobe Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs roughly from east to west and forms the northern boundary of the CBD ....
and to the West by Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
Elizabeth Street is one of the main north-south streets in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837.- Geography :...
. There are also a number of buildings not located within the immediate area of the RMIT City campus, including the entire College of Business, which is located on nearby Bourke Street
Bourke Street, Melbourne
Bourke Street is one of Melbourne's best known streets. Historically been regarded as Melbourne's "second street", with the main street being Collins Street and "busier than Bourke Street" is a popular catchphrase. Bourke Street has traditionally been Melbourne's entertainment hub...
, and RMIT's Capitol Theatre
Capitol Theatre, Melbourne
Opened in 1924, The Capitol Theatre is a spectacularly designed single screen cinema located in Melbourne, Australia . On 20 May 1999, it was purchased by Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology , and is currently used for both university lectures and cultural events such as film and comedy festivals...
on southern Swanston Street
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
.
The campus is extremely well serviced by train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
and tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
; by the large number of trams that run along Swanston Street
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
and by the Melbourne Central underground train station located adjacent the campus' Swanston Precinct.
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
's Parkville
Parkville, Victoria
Parkville is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne. At the 2006 Census, the population was 4,980....
campus, is the only student accommodation facility owned by RMIT, and is available to students of RMIT and the University of Melbourne. The residential college
Residential college
A residential college is an organisational pattern for a division of a university that places academic activity in a community setting of students and faculty, usually at a residence and with shared meals, the college having a degree of autonomy and a federated relationship with the overall...
s at the University of Melbourne are also partnered with RMIT, and are available to students of both universities. A large number of privately-operated student accommodation facilities are located directly adjacent as well as nearby the RMIT City campus. However, few are subsidised to meet the financial needs of students. Students of the campus often opt to live in share housing
Share housing
A share house is a model of household in which a group of usually unrelated people reside together. The term generally applies to people living together in rental properties rather than in properties in which any resident is an owner occupier.-Demographics:...
in the inner suburbs of Melbourne, and commute to university.
Historic buildings
The RMIT City campus, like the Melbourne CBD of which it's a part, is notable for its mix of modernModern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
and contemporary architecture
Contemporary architecture
Contemporary architecture is generally speaking the architecture of the present time.The term contemporary architecture is also applied to a range of styles of recently built structures and space which are optimized for current use....
as well as Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
and gothic revival architecture
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
. As the campus expanded, RMIT's Council sought to preserve its original and neighbouring historical buildings, including:
- The chapel and exercise yard of the Old Melbourne Gaol, now the RMIT Spiritual CentreRMIT Spiritual CentreThe RMIT Spiritual Centre is a building located at the City campus of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology . The centre provides space for worship to all staff and students of RMIT, regardless of their faith and without showing favour to any one faith, and houses the RMIT Chaplaincy...
(built in 1841 and acquired by RMIT in 1929) - The Working Men's College of MelbourneWorking Men's College of MelbourneThe Working Men's College of Melbourne was an Australian college of further education located in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1887 by a prominent Victorian parliamentarian and philanthropist, Francis Ormond....
building (built in 1887 and renamed Francis Ormond Building in c1990s) - Former hall of the Ancient Order of HiberniansAncient Order of HiberniansThe Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be Catholic and either Irish born or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is now in the United States, where it was founded in New York City in 1836...
(built 1887, acquired by RMIT and renamed Storey Hall in 1957) - Former hall of the Ancient Order of ForestersAncient Order of ForestersThe Ancient Order of Foresters is a friendly society which was formed in 1834. The society is now known as Foresters Friendly Society, and has approximately 70,000 members...
(built in 1888 and acquired by RMIT in 1969) - Building 4 (built 1904)
- Former Melbourne Magistrates' CourtFormer Melbourne Magistrates' CourtThe Former Melbourne Magistrates' Court building, located on the corner of La Trobe and Russell streets in the Melbourne CBD, was the original home of the City of Melbourne's City Court and District Court, and also housed an emergency court....
and City Watch House buildings (built in 1914, and acquired by RMIT in 1995) - RMIT Capitol Theatre (built in 1924 and acquired by RMIT in 1999)
- Emily McPherson College of Domestic EconomyEmily McPherson College of Domestic EconomyThe Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy was an Australian domestic science college for women, in Melbourne, Victoria.It was officially opened on 27 April 1927 by Her Royal Highness Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Duchess of York, and later Queen Consort....
(built in 1927 and amalgamated with RMIT in 1979)
Campus precincts
The Art Precinct consists of Buildings 2 and 4 (the historical homes of the RMIT School of Art
RMIT School of Art
The RMIT School of Art is an Australian tertiary school within the College of Design and Social Context of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology , located in Melbourne, Victoria.-See also:*RMIT University...
) and Building 6 on Bowen Street, Forester's Hall on the corners of Bowen and La Trobe
La Trobe Street, Melbourne
La Trobe Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs roughly from east to west and forms the northern boundary of the CBD ....
streets and the original and refurbished sections of Storey Hall on Swanston Street
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
which houses RMIT Gallery
RMIT Gallery
Storey Hall is home to RMIT Gallery, a public art gallery, and is located at 342–344 Swanston Street in Melbourne, Australia. It is part of the RMIT City campus of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology ....
and the RMIT Union
RMIT Union
RMIT Union is an unincorporated subsidiary company owned by RMIT University. It was formed in 1968 and currently it consists of Four main branches including RMIT Union Arts, RMIT Sports and Recreation, RMIT City Fitness and RMIT Union Administration. RMIT Union is responsible for running all Arts...
's First Site Gallery.
Carlton Precinct
The technology-focused Carlton Precinct is defined by all buildings north of Victoria Street
Victoria Street, Melbourne
Victoria Street is one of the major thoroughfares of inner Melbourne. Running east to west, Victoria Street touches the Hoddle Grid at the intersection of La Trobe Street and Spring Street, opposite the Carlton Gardens. It runs from its terminus at the intersection of Munster Terrace in North...
. It was constructed between the 1960s and 1990s, and also includes the new Design Hub building, currently being constructed on northern Swanston Street, due for completion in 2010.
Justice Precinct
The Justice Precinct houses many of RMIT City's historical buildings, which include: the Francis Ormond Building, buildings of the Old Melbourne Gaol, Former Melbourne Magistrates' Court
Former Melbourne Magistrates' Court
The Former Melbourne Magistrates' Court building, located on the corner of La Trobe and Russell streets in the Melbourne CBD, was the original home of the City of Melbourne's City Court and District Court, and also housed an emergency court....
and Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy
Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy
The Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy was an Australian domestic science college for women, in Melbourne, Victoria.It was officially opened on 27 April 1927 by Her Royal Highness Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Duchess of York, and later Queen Consort....
. Its defined by all buildings east of Bowen Street.
Swanston Precinct
The Swanston Precinct is the main access point of the RMIT City campus, and houses some of RMIT's most prominent buildings, including: Building 8, "Info Corner" and the planned new home of RMIT's College of Business, due for completion in 2011. It's defined by most buildings on Swanston Street
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
, on the west-side of Bowen Street and on neighbouring Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
Elizabeth Street is one of the main north-south streets in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837.- Geography :...
.
RMIT City redevelopment
The RMIT City campus is currently undergoing a A$Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
500 million redvelopment, in accordance with RMIT's 2007 - 2010 Infrastructure Plan. The plan has an emphasis on the construction of three new buildings as well as uprgrades to many existing buildings of the RMIT City campus.
An environmentally-friendly, eight level "Design Hub" building is currently being constructed for the RMIT School of Architecture and Design
RMIT School of Architecture and Design
The RMIT School of Architecture and Design is an Australian tertiary school within the College of Design and Social Context of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology , located in Melbourne, Victoria.-External links:*...
on the corners of Swanston
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
and Victoria
Victoria Street, Melbourne
Victoria Street is one of the major thoroughfares of inner Melbourne. Running east to west, Victoria Street touches the Hoddle Grid at the intersection of La Trobe Street and Spring Street, opposite the Carlton Gardens. It runs from its terminus at the intersection of Munster Terrace in North...
streets, as part of a A$800 million redevelopment of the former site of the Carlton and United Beverages brewery by Grocon
Grocon
Grocon Pty Ltd is a large Australian construction company based in Melbourne, Australia. It is owned by the Grollo family.-History:Grocon grew from a small family concreting business established by Luigi Grollo in the 1950s, to a major building company in the 1980s with his sons Rino & Bruno...
. The Design Hub building will incorporate an outer skin of 16,000 sand blasted glass cells, some of which will be photovoltaic solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
collectors, to help shade and power the building.
The innovative A$185 million "Swanston Academic Building (SAB)", due to be completed in 2013, is a 40,000 square metre construction that will see the relocation and consolidation of RMIT's College of Business (which is currently housed off-site on Bourke Street
Bourke Street, Melbourne
Bourke Street is one of Melbourne's best known streets. Historically been regarded as Melbourne's "second street", with the main street being Collins Street and "busier than Bourke Street" is a popular catchphrase. Bourke Street has traditionally been Melbourne's entertainment hub...
in the Melbourne CBD) into the main RMIT City campus area on Swanston Street. The third building, known as the "Swanston-A'Beckett Building (SABB)", will be constructed adjacent the SAB at a later date, and will house various RMIT administration departments.
Major building upgrades in the plan include: the refurbishment of the Francis Ormond Building (the original Working Men's College building); upgrades and the connection of Buildings 2, 4 and 6 to create an "RMIT School of Art
RMIT School of Art
The RMIT School of Art is an Australian tertiary school within the College of Design and Social Context of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology , located in Melbourne, Victoria.-See also:*RMIT University...
Precinct"; addition of two levels and refurbishment of Building 9 for the eventual relocation of the RMIT School of Media and Communication
RMIT School of Media and Communication
The RMIT School of Media and Communication is an Australian tertiary school within the College of Design and Social Context of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology , located in Melbourne, Victoria....
; and the refurbishment of the former Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy
Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy
The Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy was an Australian domestic science college for women, in Melbourne, Victoria.It was officially opened on 27 April 1927 by Her Royal Highness Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Duchess of York, and later Queen Consort....
for the eventual relocation of the RMIT Graduate School of Business.
The plan also includes some general upgrades to many other existing City campus buildings.
See also
- RMIT UniversityRMIT UniversityRMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
- Working Men's College of MelbourneWorking Men's College of MelbourneThe Working Men's College of Melbourne was an Australian college of further education located in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1887 by a prominent Victorian parliamentarian and philanthropist, Francis Ormond....
- Emily McPherson College of Domestic EconomyEmily McPherson College of Domestic EconomyThe Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy was an Australian domestic science college for women, in Melbourne, Victoria.It was officially opened on 27 April 1927 by Her Royal Highness Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Duchess of York, and later Queen Consort....
- History of the Royal Melbourne Institute of TechnologyHistory of the Royal Melbourne Institute of TechnologyThe Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology is an Australian public university, founded by The Hon. Francis Ormond MLA in 1887, in Melbourne, Victoria.- The Working Men's College :...
- Former Melbourne Magistrates' CourtFormer Melbourne Magistrates' CourtThe Former Melbourne Magistrates' Court building, located on the corner of La Trobe and Russell streets in the Melbourne CBD, was the original home of the City of Melbourne's City Court and District Court, and also housed an emergency court....
- Old Melbourne Gaol
- RMIT Spiritual CentreRMIT Spiritual CentreThe RMIT Spiritual Centre is a building located at the City campus of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology . The centre provides space for worship to all staff and students of RMIT, regardless of their faith and without showing favour to any one faith, and houses the RMIT Chaplaincy...
- RMIT Capitol Theatre
- RMIT GalleryRMIT GalleryStorey Hall is home to RMIT Gallery, a public art gallery, and is located at 342–344 Swanston Street in Melbourne, Australia. It is part of the RMIT City campus of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology ....