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 will greet students as they walk through the doors of Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) new City campus when it opens in February. The impressive $853 million vertical campus, rapidly taking shape in Yagan Square above the railway line that once divided the city, is set to invigorate Perth’s Central Business District (CBD).
The West Australian was granted an exclusive sneak peek inside the 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 campus is not only a boon for students and staff but also for nearby cafes, bars, and restaurants preparing for an influx of patrons.
State-of-the-Art Facilities and Cultural Impact
Audiences flocking to the McCusker Recital Hall and The Playhouse will experience world-leading acoustics, thanks to 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 will be the new home for the globally-renowned WA Academy of Performing Arts.
On the city side of the campus, broadcast studios boast the latest technology, and cyber-security facilities are equipped with screens to monitor cyber attacks in real-time. Additionally, a moot court is available for conducting mock legal trials, complete with seating for jury members and court reporters.
Architectural Vision and 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,” Appleton noted.
Appleton’s favorite feature of the building is the brass and timber “musical staircase,” which he described as an attempt to merge the concepts of a brass wind instrument with a timber string instrument.
Anticipation and Educational Opportunities
ECU Vice-Chancellor Clare Pollock expressed excitement about the impending opening of the campus. After three years of watching the “incredible” building rise from the ground, she is eager to welcome students for semester one next year. In the past year, she has entered the building through the construction entrance, donning a hard hat, high visibility vest, and steel-capped boots.
“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.”
Professor Pollock noted that early indications show “fierce” applications to attend the new campus, with significant interest in business, media, communications, and journalism courses.
Economic and Urban Impact
Planning Minister John Carey highlighted the transformative potential of the city-based university campus, a concept first proposed at a Perth city summit in 2017. He emphasized that the campus would inject new life into the CBD.
“This will be a game-changer for Perth,” Carey stated. “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.”
Federal MP for Perth Patrick Gorman hailed the campus as a “nation-building project,” underscoring its significance for both the city and the students.
“This means that we have a world-class university campus in one of the great cities of Australia, right here in Perth, and it means the students will get the education and facilities that they deserve,” Gorman said.
The opening of ECU’s new Perth City campus marks a pivotal moment in the city’s development, promising to enhance educational opportunities while revitalizing the urban landscape. As the campus prepares to welcome its first cohort of students, Perth stands on the brink of a new era of cultural and economic vibrancy.
