Soaring staircases, stunning giant screens and light-filled corridors will greet students walking through the doors of Edith Cowan University City campus.
Soaring staircases, stunning giant screens, and light-filled corridors are set to greet students at Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) new City campus when it opens in February. This impressive $853 million vertical campus, rapidly taking shape in Yagan Square above the railway line that once divided Perth, is poised to invigorate the city’s central business district (CBD).
The West Australian was granted an exclusive sneak peek inside this world-class building as workers performed last-minute touch-ups before Multiplex formally handed over the completed project—on budget and on time—on Friday. The new campus promises to be a boon not only for students and staff but also for nearby cafes, bars, and restaurants anticipating an influx of patrons.
State-of-the-Art Facilities and Cultural Impact
Audiences at the McCusker Recital Hall and The Playhouse will experience world-leading acoustics, thanks to the box-in-box construction that eliminates sound and vibration from trains rumbling below. These performance venues, along with numerous dance and rehearsal studios and practice rooms, occupy the northern part of the campus, which is the new home for the globally renowned WA Academy of Performing Arts.
On the city side of the campus, broadcast studios equipped with the latest technology and cyber-security facilities with real-time cyber attack monitoring screens are set to enhance learning experiences. Additionally, a moot court designed for mock legal trials, complete with seating for jury members and court reporters, offers practical legal training for students.
A Collaborative Investment and Visionary Design
Spanning 65,000 square meters across 11 floors, the campus is the culmination of a joint investment by Federal and State Governments and ECU as part of the Perth City Deal. Lead architect Neil Appleton explained that the campus colors realized a vision first expressed in a drawing by Noongar artist Richard Walley, with earth tones on lower levels transitioning to greens and blues at the top to signify water flowing from the hills to the sea.
“The escalators and the stairs and everything that is vertical circulation is all blue, which is the idea of the water running through the landscape,” said Appleton. “It’s an enormous, vertical campus, so we really had to set it up so that the students felt comfortable in it and could easily find their way amongst all the teaching spaces.”
Appleton’s favorite feature is the brass and timber “musical staircase,” which he described as a fusion of a brass wind instrument with a timber string instrument.
Anticipation and Community Impact
ECU Vice-Chancellor Clare Pollock expressed excitement as the opening semester approaches. “It is a surreal feeling that we’re finally here,” she said. “It is a beautiful building, incredible construction, and it’s going to bring students from WAAPA in performing arts and creative arts, business and technology all in together to liven up the city and really give our students an outstanding experience here.”
According to Pollock, early indications suggest strong interest in courses offered at the new campus, particularly in business, media, communications, and journalism.
Planning Minister John Carey highlighted the transformative potential of the city-based university campus, first proposed at a Perth city summit in 2017. “This will be a game-changer for Perth,” he said. “It will bring 10,000 staff and students into the heart of the city. That means a lot more people walking through the city, foot traffic, activity, life, vibrancy.”
“We shouldn’t underestimate how important this is. This really is a critical milestone for Perth’s history as a city,” Carey added.
Federal MP for Perth Patrick Gorman praised the campus as a “nation-building project,” emphasizing its significance in providing world-class education and facilities in one of Australia’s great cities.
As the opening date draws near, the new ECU City campus stands as a symbol of innovation, collaboration, and cultural enrichment, poised to redefine the educational and social landscape of Perth’s CBD.
