Monash University in Melbourne will become home once again to an architectural marvel after releasing concept images for its newest structural addition, the Monash University Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music.
After earning public and critical acclaim for the development of the Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA), designed by architectural firm Kerstin Thompson Architecture at the prestigious university’s Caulfield Campus, the latest addition to the educational institution’s Clayton Campus is set to be just as show-stopping.
The project will be the first designed by Moshe Safdie, director of international firm Safdie Architects, in the southern hemisphere. The development is expected to provide a world-class learning experience to students says Faculty of Arts dean Rae Frances.
“The School of Music is consistently ranked among the best in Australia but our facilities have not kept pace with our achievements,” Frances says. “The new building is a fusion of elegant design and high technology infrastructure, and reflects the philosophy underlying the School of Music, which seeks to inspire its students with an experience of music’s power to transform the lives of performers and audiences alike.”
The new structure will include an 800-seat concert hall, a jazz club and a recording studio.
Concept images of the music centre depict a striking appearance led by the inclusion of fin-like concrete ribs that will be developed out of stainless steel. This highly reflective feature will contrast with the body of the building which will feature a facade of reinforced concrete with stone inlay.
While the arched elements have been compared to the Sydney Opera House, Safdie assures that the building will stand alone as a unique design once completed.
Work on the building is slated to begin in 2014 with a 2016 completion date.
