Griffith University’s bold plan for tower campus in Brisbane CBD
A Queensland university has unveiled a bold plan to transform the western end of Brisbane’s CBD with a new inner-city campus housed in a stunning 55-storey tower combining lecture theatres, workspaces and student accommodation.
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Griffith University has unveiled a bold plan to transform the western end of the CBD with a new inner city campus housed in a stunning 55-storey tower combining lecture theatres, workspaces and student accommodation.
The uni is in negotiations with the State Government to build the tower in the Cross River Rail Roma Street precinct for a project that would create hundreds of jobs during its $280m construction and convert the sombre western end of the CBD into a vibrant student-fuelled 24/7 economy.
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Griffith vice-chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans said the new campus would give Griffith a “front door” in the city and include public spaces for the community.
It would be a hub for the uni’s IT, business and law schools and student accommodation.
The uni plans to take up 15 of the 55 floors as well as giving it the chance to house companies who want to work with its students and graduates.
State Development Minister Kate Jones said the $5.4bn Cross River Rail being constructed would make southeast Queensland one of the most connected regions in Australia and “having Griffith University in the heart of the CBD where thousands of local workers and students can take advantage makes sense.
“As huge employers, universities will be crucial to Queensland’s economic recovery from COVID-19,” Ms Jones said.
The CBD tower is part of $690m worth of construction Griffith has planned, including a $200m teacher education, humanities and social science teaching facility at its Nathan campus, including the Griffith Criminology Institute, as well as dedicated spaces for key industry collaborations, such as the Queensland Police Service.
There was also a $110m science and innovation precinct on the drawing board for Nathan.
Prof Evans said its $100m Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies (ADaPT) project on the Gold Coast was “shovel-ready” to begin construction at the end of the year.
It will lead innovative work into areas including spinal cord injury and rehabilitation, digital twinning, virtual surgery and functional nano-materials.
