With its gleaming façade and striking curved design, UTS Central has become an unmissable landmark on Broadway. But we all know it’s what’s inside that counts – so here’s your guide to what’s on offer in our newest campus building, opening in August.
An artist's impression of UTS Central
With 17 levels, including two below ground, UTS Central has an abundance of spaces for formal classes, individual and collaborative study, research, faculty admin, specialist teaching and all-important socialising.
Our new Building 2 will open its doors in August, with a staged opening of the internal spaces. The food court and study areas spread across the lower floors will be operating from day one, while the final specialist facilities will launch in early 2020.
Here’s the building at a glance, with details on the spaces and opening dates below.
What: Student spaces including the Student Learning Hub
Where: Levels 3 to 7
When: August 2019
Spread across levels 3 to 7, student study spaces include individual desks, benches, group tables, bookable collaborative rooms with built-in screens, general access computers, lounges, café-style seating and bean bag pods for more relaxed study moments. Definitely something for everybody.
The Student Learning Hub on level 4 will be a central location for students to discover and connect with a range of student support services.
What: Food court
Where: Level 3
When: August 2019
The food court will expand your mealtime horizons with eight individual vendors offering diverse food types. We’ll be revealing exactly what’s on the menu soon. An additional coffee cart on level 7 (outside the library) will open later this year.
What: Jones St lobby and exhibition space
Where: Level 4
When: August 2019
The main entry to the building off Broadway will be a space for events and pop-up exhibitions. Later this year, a large digital screen will be installed to showcase digital artwork.
What: Faculty of Engineering and IT research and project spaces
Where: Level 10-12
When: September 2019
Specialist research and project spaces will be home for students and staff from FEIT, including the Rapido team who will offer UTS Engineering and IT technical expertise to industry.
What: Careers
Where: Level 4
When: October 2019
Careers will move their drop-in service to the new building soon after it opens, with consults available to UTS students looking for career advice, job-searching tips or resumé help.
What: UTS Library and UTS Reading Room
Where: Levels 5 to 9 (with Library staff on Level 10)
When: 25 November
The new UTS Library will take its rightful place at the centre of the UTS campus, offering upgraded facilities complemented by a new online service delivering a superior student experience. Inside you’ll find group and individual study spaces, while the level 8 north- and south-facing landscaped terraces will offer outdoor study options.
With its light-filled triple-height atrium the UTS Reading Room will be a place for quiet reading and contemplation – and one of the most sought-after study spots on campus, for students and staff alike.
What: Large collaborative classrooms
Where: Levels 5 to 7
When: February 2020
Three large collaborative classrooms (two with 350 seats and one with 198) have been purpose-designed to support active and collaborative learning, proven by research to be the best way to learn. Flexible furniture, AV and IT mean each room can be split into zones for work in smaller groups. In a world-first design, the classrooms have no obvious ‘front’ of the room unlike traditional theatres.
What: Hive Super Lab
Where: Level 1
When: February 2020
This high-tech space is a step-up from our current Super Lab. It will hold up to 270 students and is designed to a PC2 (physical containment 2) standard, allowing students to work with a wider range of biological materials and industry-standard equipment. Taking its name from the hexagonal design and ‘buzzing’ collaborative atmosphere, the vibrant space features coloured zones where seven different classes can run in tandem.
What: Faculty of Law
Where: Levels 14 to 16
When: February 2020
The new home for Law will reflect the identity of the faculty – future-focused, modern and engaged. It encompasses the Dean’s unit, offices for academics and faculty admin, a new Moot Court and trial courts, and workspaces for HDRs. It will also accommodate the Faculty’s centres: AntiSlavery Australia, the joint UTS-UNSW Australasian Legal Information Institute & the joint Law/ FASS Centre for Media Transition.
What: RES Hub and UTS Scholars Centre
Where: Level 5 and level 10
When: November 2019
The Research Excellence and Support (RES) Hub will have a dedicated home in Building 2 for researcher development and engagement. Offering training, opportunities for collaboration, consultation and industry engagement facilities in the heart of the UTS campus, RES Hub will deliver an exciting suite of activities developing the capabilities that differentiate UTS researchers.
The UTS Scholars Centre will house current and visiting researchers in a collaborative scholarly environment, embedded at the heart of our campus.
Find out more about the building design and key spaces at utscentral.uts.edu.au