DRAW (RAWarchitects + The Architecture Office)
DRAW’s (now RAW and The Architecture Office) 2012 renovation of Michael Dysart’s brutalist icon at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) adds a new great hall as part of the university’s ongoing campus works. DRAW’s project consciously introduces a contemporary aesthetic to Dysart’s important late modern work, in an optimistic gesture in line with the ambitions of the young university. The UTS Great Hall was AR-MA’s first project, as a young practice of four. AR-MA worked with DRAW and Facade Innovations on the undulating, triangulated mantle, the signature element of the project. Comprising more than 1000 perforated aluminium facets, the mantle lines the ceiling and walls, integrating lighting, audio-visual, fire, and mechanical services into a dynamic whole, breathing life into the most important ceremonial space on campus.