Arup will provide masterplanning advice and guidance, and a major component of their engagement will be to work with the University’s future Master Development Partner to refresh the Melbourne Campus Masterplan as the University continues its transformation into a University City of the Future.
The Melbourne Campus Masterplan 2014 was pivotal in setting La Trobe’s founding vision to become a ‘University Town’.
Since then, a number of significant developments in the northern Melbourne region – such as the creation of the La Trobe National Employment and Innovation Cluster (LTNEIC) and the commencement of two major transport projects in the North East Link and the Suburban Rail Loop –have enabled the University to reframe its masterplan aspiration to one of ‘city scale’ in the form of the vision for a ‘University City of the Future’, with the transformation already well underway.
The refreshed Masterplan will see La Trobe continue this journey and reflect this broader vision.
The University City of the Future will turn the campus 'inside out' by welcoming local community and industry to transform the campus into a place to live, learn, work, socialise and stay healthy.
The long-term development will see the 235-hectare campus become a vibrant city in Melbourne’s north that will include world-class sports, research and innovation, education, commercial, retail and residential developments.
Recent developments include:
- A world-class Sports Park, open for teaching, research, community participation and elite sport, with construction to begin later this year to create the new home of the Matildas
- A new 624-bed modern and sustainable North and South Apartments for students, which opened this year
- Work has commenced to enhance and protect La Trobe’s bio-diverse waterway, Nangak Tamboree
- A Research and Innovation Precinct which includes two new Innovation Hubs which will connect businesses with research, students and infrastructure
La Trobe University staff, students and community will have the opportunity to be involved in the refresh of the Melbourne Campus Masterplan, which will commence in 2022 when a Master Development Partner for the University City of the Future has been appointed.
La Trobe is currently engaged in a tender process for a Master Development Partner who will bring property knowledge, expertise and investment to support the University’s ambitious vision. A Master Development Partner is expected to be appointed in mid-2022.
About Arup
The La Trobe Masterplan will be led by Malcolm Smith, Arup’s Australasian Cities Leader, and Penny Barnes, Senior Urban Designer. Both have extensive experience in Australia and internationally, creating healthy, productive knowledge environments that deliver a great quality of life. Arup specialises in innovative projects in the built environment, encompassing leading sustainability outcomes.
For more information, please visit Arup.com.
