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Edith Cowan University Village

Active, permeable and well designed, this Perth student village is an urban design success.

A fresh approach The design for Edith Cowan University (ECU) Village reflects significant shifts in student housing. The Mt Lawley development, previously a car park, features 523 student beds in studios and 4-, 5- and 6-bedroom apartments. Buildings are to be handed back in new condition after a 45-year concession, so the fitout was completed with durability in mind.

Creating community Central to AJ+C’s competition-winning design is the creation of a student community. The village’s buildings focus around a protected courtyard, complemented by landscaped surrounds. There is a student recreation pavilion, pool and barbeque area, and internal spaces encourage social interaction and group study.

ESD at ECU Environmentally sustainable features include gas-boosted solar hot water, insulation, reverse veneer construction, sun-shading and dual orientation. Placing three-storey buildings in the north and seven-storey buildings in the south maximises solar access and walls and floors contribute to thermal mass.

• Date
  2010
• Cost
  A$25 million
• GFA
  9020 m²
• Beds
  355