If escaping the brutal New England weather isn’t reason enough reason
for Boston University students to study abroad in Sydney, construction
on new living quarters for students of the program was completed in
January.
The eight-story structure, which houses 164 students, was built to be
environmentally efficient, with windows that allow maximum amounts of
sunlight to reach every room in the building, according to
E-Architect.
Construction on the structure began three years ago, when BU hired the
firms Tony Owen Partners and Silvester Fuller to design the residence
hall, according to Architecture and Design.
The building features fissures that allow sunlight to reach all rooms
of the building throughout the day, as well as natural ventilation
throughout the structure, according to E-Architect.
“The design allows more light and ventilation into each bedroom,
provides good views, and would be a sensible ‘blueprint’ for city
planners to consider in their quest for ways to increase residential
density in the CBD without compromising comfort,” architect Tony Owen
said in an interview with Architecture and Design.
Within the indentations of the building, the windows are rhombus
shaped in order to allow the maximum amount of sunlight into the
structure, according to E-Architect.
Located at 15-25 Regent St., the new residence hall is only a short
walk for BU students from classes, and downtown Sydney.
The residence hall includes three lecture halls, a library, an
Internet lounge, a rooftop terrace with a timber deck and an adjoining
fully equipped communal kitchen.
The BU Sydney program has seen little change in its residence halls
since it’s inception in 1992 until the recent construction of Owen’s
residence hall, according to Architecture and Design.
The structure is drawing much attention in Sydney as a modern
masterpiece of both design and sustainable technology.
“Council planners are looking for the best solution, and a high design
element helps a project gain approval,” Owen said in an interview with
architectureanddevelopment.com.
“When we combine our design skills with our technology we produce the
best commercial outcome for our clients.”
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