The reinvigoration of Hobart’s former Forestry Tasmania headquarters is officially underway, with construction commencing on the Woods Bagot-designed transformation.
Once complete, the building will become the home of the University of Tasmania’s College of Business and Economics and Law School, as well as administrative offices, creating space for 300 staff and 3000 students.
The building’s former iconic indoor forest will be restored in conjunction with local landscape architects Realm, which will double as the campus’ welcoming space. The precinct comprises two 1930s warehouses and a 22-metre-diameter glass dome framed with Tasmanian oak beams, which originally housed a microclimate based on a Tasmanian rainforest.
“The site has a rich sense of place and history. Our design approach embraces the existing celebration of landscape and lets that drive the conceptual direction of the new, to develop a consistent visual language,” says Woods Bagot Principal Bruno Mendes.
Project Leader Alastair Flynn believes that melding together architecture and landscape is vital to the restoration.
“The verdancy and geometry of the dome creates new focus points for the campus. With this in mind, our restoration establishes the campus’ ‘interstitial spaces’ as a blended typology that doesn’t separate architecture and landscape.”
Once complete, the $131 million project will both provide first-class inner city tertiary spaces, as well as a culturally significant public green space. Woods Bagot Associate Phoebe Settle says inspiration is drawn from all corners of the island state.
“The material palette will borrow from the landscapes of the site and Tasmania wide. This palette will be explicitly linked and inherently identifiable to Tasmania’s colours, textures, and materials, promising a unique environment,” she says.
“New functional elements are inserted within the existing buildings, but these elements depart from the typical conventions of a structure. Instead, the ‘new’ seek to form strong connections to landscape through form, appearance, texture and the considered use of ecology and planting.”
UTAS Vice-Chancellor Rufus Black says the restoration of the Forestry Building is bigger than simply creating an inner city campus.
“We are proud to be making this significant investment in educational facilities for students and staff, and in the capital city we all share, through the restoration of an important piece of Hobart’s architecture,” he says.
“As central business districts around the world adapt to the changes wrought by the global pandemic, our hope is that the University of Tasmania can play a positive role in supporting a vibrant, thriving future for Hobart by creating high quality civic spaces that are hubs for students, staff and the community and bring life into the city.”
Construction, handled by Hansen Yuncken, is now underway. Completion is slated for 2025. More information on the project can be found here.
