‘A national first’: Bond University undergoes major building project

A major “national first” project at Bond University – featuring plans first imagined in its original 1980s blueprint – is finally becoming reality. FIND OUT MORE

A decades-old vision is finally taking shape at Bond University, with early works now underway on a “national first” precinct that will unite two of the university’s flagship faculties under one roof.

The ‘Connections Precinct’ will span 18,000 square metres – more than two football fields – and is scheduled for completion in mid-2027.

It will also include a Great Hall to the Robina campus.

Driven by soaring demand for Bond’s Medical Program, which is expected to top 1200 students within two years, the precinct is designed to bring together its Medicine and Business programs in a single, integrated hub.

The ‘Connections Precinct’ will span 18,000 square metres – more than two football fields – and is scheduled for completion in mid-2027. Picture: Supplied.

The university’s Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Tim Brailsford said the co-location of the programs was about preparing students for a healthcare industry increasingly shaped by economic and operational pressures.

“We believe that one of the emerging needs of modern health is how it deals with the business and cost side of operations and service delivery,” he said.

“The health industry is becoming one of the dominant global industries.

“By locating the business school alongside the medical school – something we believe is a national first – we aim to foster a cross-disciplinary approach between the two faculties.”

The precinct of three buildings will include a new anatomy lab twice the size of the current one, 33 new clinical skills rooms and a consolidated, custom-designed home for the Bond Business School, which is currently spread across three sites.

The ‘Connections Precinct’ will span 18,000 square metres – more than two football fields – and is scheduled for completion in mid-2027. Picture: Supplied.

At its heart will sit something the university has been missing since it opened its doors: a Great Hall.

“A Great Hall was envisaged in the original master plan for the university way back in the 1980s,” Professor Brailsford said.

“It was always seen to be a central part of the campus that would complete the university as a whole.

“For various reasons that Great Hall was never built.

“We think it’s time to build a Great Hall on this campus.”

The Great Hall will be capable of seating 1200 people and will serve as a venue for graduations, balls, and major community events that currently take place in the university’s indoor sports centre.

The ‘Connections Precinct’ will span 18,000 square metres – more than two football fields – and is scheduled for completion in mid-2027. Picture: Supplied.

The sandstone-clad buildings will reflect the university’s signature design, and the project will be delivered by ADCO Constructions, a long-time partner of the university.

It will also double as a real-world training site for students studying construction management and related disciplines.

The university will add around 250 car parks as part of the work, while solar panels on the roof will generate 490kW of solar power – enough to power 50 homes.

Early earthworks are underway following the project’s approval by the University Council and the Gold Coast City Council.

Originally published as ‘A national first’: Bond University undergoes major building project