Under construction

Construction is underway on the new Latelab and student hub! Construction fencing has been erected around the site to keep passers by safe and nearby thoroughfares may be closed at short notice for safety. During construction, loud noise may be heard in areas surrounding the 27 John St building. The facility is expected to be ready for students to use in 2025.

Noise alert: To make way for the new Latelab and student hub design we co-created with students, our builders have begun demolishing the external brickwork on the 27 John St building. This work is expected to take place over the next month. As with any construction, the work will be extremely noisy at times. We are working to mitigate impacts where we can. To avoid the noise, head to quieter study and work spaces on other parts of campus such as The Junction or the Student Lounge in The George building.

Updates will be posted here, in the Swinburne app, and via our Instagram.

Help us design the Latelab construction fencing and WIN!

Work has begun on Swinburne’s new Latelab and student hub, providing secure space on campus for students to study and interact.

To be constructed by redeveloping the 27 John St building opposite the Library at out Hawthorn campus, this space has been co-created with students through a series of workshops, surveys, polls and on-campus pop ups throughout 2023.

Melbourne-based architecture firm Kosloff Architecture was appointed last year to lead the design process for the new Latelab and student hub, and construction firm arete Australia are bringing the design to life.

The new Latelab and student hub part of our next gen_campus transformation, elevating the student experience and ensuring our campuses meet the needs and expectations of contemporary vocational and higher education students. It is expected to be ready for students to use in 2025.

Watch: A co-creation journey with Erin
Check out this video by Swinburne student Erin about the co-creation process and see what the new building will look like!
Video transcript [PDF 110KB]

Your new favourite spot on campus

Swinburne’s new Latelab and student hub will provide students with secure, 24-hour spaces to work and study on campus.

The new hub will be developed across the four floors of the 27 John St building opposite the Library.

Students will be able to make use of accessible kitchen, common room and dining spaces, with almost 20 per cent more capacity to work and study than is currently offered at the existing Latelab and Atrium. 

An artists' impression of the student kitchen and outdoor terrace in the new Latelab and student hub. Image: Kosloff Architecture.

By students, for students

The functional usage and design options of the new Latelab and student hub have been informed by the input of students on everything from layout, types of spaces and interior styling options.

In addition to a series of collaborative co-creation workshops, thousands of students had their say through polls and surveys, ensuring the new space is representative of the expectations and needs of all students. 

Light and sound were key themes that came up during the collaborative design process, with experience in the current Latelab providing a foundation for improvements to be realised in the new space.

The space will be developed with the aim of making the space welcoming, accessible and functional for all students.

Students who participated in the co-creation of the new development were particularly interested in ways to segment quiet and collaborative learning and study spaces to ensure there are opportunities for a variety of uses in the building.

The provision of mixed use seating and access to charging ports are also key suggestions reflected in the designs.

Students take part in a workshop to co-create the new Latelab and student hub.

Building a next gen Latelab and student hub

The team from arete Australia have been on campus from late February to prepare for construction to begin this month.

Construction fencing was erected around the 27 John Street building in early March, with construction work commencing later that month.

Swinburne Chief Operations Officer Nancy Collins said this is an exciting milestone, not only for for the next gen_campus transformation but for Swinburne’s commitment to sustainability.

“As an adaptive re-use project, we will be working with existing materials to reduce negative impacts on the environment and promote the health and comfort of our students in a way that improves building performance and amenity,” she said.

“Sustainability is not only a priority for us, but it is clearly top of mind for our students too. Through the co-creation process, our students spoke about the need to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, lower waste and create a productive, healthy, and sustainable environment.”

Like any major construction project, Swinburne is  working to mitigate impacts and will share updates on our website, the Swinburne app, our social media, and via on campus signage.

As you pass the construction site (27J building opposite the Library), peep through the viewing windows to see the design we co-created with students begin to take shape!

An artists' impression of the new Latelab and student hub, with plenty of space for students to collaborate and study. Image: Kosloff Architecture.

Decorate your next gen_campus student design comptition

In celebration of Swinburne’s next gen_campus transformation, we ran a student design competition for artwork depicting collaboration, innovation and technology to decorate the construction fencing of the new Latelab and student hub.

The competition and this outdoor gallery, featuring the winning artworks, is inspired by the collaborative focus of the next gen_campus transformation, co-created with our students.

It showcases our shared vision for a truly next gen_experience, bringing people and technology together to build a better world.

Visit the display at the 27J building construction site (on John St at our Hawthorn campus).

Scroll down to see the winning artworks and find out more about them.

Winner: next gen_design award for most innovative artworks

Rin Clancy

Course: Diploma of Library and Information Studies
Artwork description: "I wanted to combine art and technology in my piece by including the hands from The Creation of Adam and using iconic imagery from different areas of science. I aimed to create an image that depicted that through collaboration in STEM, that's where innovation lies. All the binary was translated from words and quotes like, 'What is now proved was once only imagined', 'idea', and most importantly 'love'."

Winner: next gen_experience award for best showcase of life at Swinburne

Serena Savage

Course: Bachelor of Arts
Artwork description: "Study picnics on campus with friends, my favourite thing about uni. The meeting new people, the learning new things, the little moments of sunshine, they are things I'm sure I'll think about for a lifetime."

Winner: next gen_experience award for best showcase of life at Swinburne

Tanrak Tantayopin

Course: Bachelor of Design
Artwork description: "The artwork depicts Swinburne's student life, featuring three characters of Swinburne students in diverse areas of study within the Swinburne community. Connected by a background of gear wheels, they symbolize innovation and collaboration."

Darika Chittsawangdee

Course: Bachelor of Design
Artwork description: "Inspired by the collaboration thriving within our community and the boundless possibilities of the technology on campus, the illustration depicts the dynamic synergy between human creativity and technological innovation. Portraying an evolving community, it captures the vibrant environment where individuals from diverse backgrounds, each bringing a unique idea and perspective to the collaborative table. Encouraging the community to immerse themselves in the limitless possibilities of creativity."

Cinder Stirling

Course: Bachelor of Psychological Sciences
Artwork description: "Captured within the ethereal ambiance of a rain room, where liquid becomes poetry and gravity dances with defiance. Amidst the serenade of falling droplets, a figure emerges, suspended in a moment of fearless grace. Balanced delicately on the palms of their hands, they challenge convention, embracing the rain with an audacious handstand. Each droplet, a fleeting brushstroke in the canvas of their movement, adds depth to the narrative of freedom and liberation. Through this lens, we witness not just a physical feat, but a symphony of courage and artistry, inviting us to reimagine our relationship with the elements and the boundaries of human expression."

Ka Wai Kathy Wong

Course: Advanced Diploma of Building Design
Artwork description: "Unite, Innovate, Soar: Where Collaborations Spark Limitless Possibilities encapsulates the spirit of Swinburne's next gen_campus transformation, embodying the themes of collaboration, innovation, and technology. Drawing inspiration from the sleek, futuristic design of spacecraft, the artwork features a dynamic, spherical structure, symbolizing exploration and discovery. At the heart of the design lies a central coffee bench, serving as a focal point for student interaction, group discussions, and networking. This communal space encourages collaborative learning and idea exchange, reflecting Swinburne's commitment to fostering a vibrant, student-cantered educational community. The vibrant green and yellow colour palette not only infuses the artwork with energy and vitality but also represents sustainability and environmental consciousness. In line with Swinburne's sustainability goals, the design incorporates principles of adaptive reuse and environmental stewardship, minimizing negative impacts on the environment. Unite, Innovate, Soar serves as a visual expression of Swinburne's dedication to collaboration, innovation, and technology, showcasing the university's vision for the future of education. It embodies a collective aspiration to push boundaries, inspire creativity, and empower students to reach new heights of academic and personal growth."

Jessica Maher

Course: Bachelor of Animation
Artwork description: "The inspiration for my artwork was collaboration. I wanted to articulate how the student body can work closely as a community to achieve their goals and aspirations together. This idea is symbolised by the circuit board lines that connect each character or 'student' to one another and the next gen_campus title. As well as this, I based the characters of the poster on the diverse student population that attend Swinburne. I used a warm red colour palette inspired from the university’s colours as well as designed my own version of the school’s mascot to place onto one of the character’s laptop to further symbolise the university. Overall, I am ecstatic with how my poster turned out and hope the student body enjoys it as well."

Jeegar Patel

Course: Master of Professional Engineering
Artwork description: "This artwork for Swinburne's next gen_campus captures the essence of innovation and collaboration. A group of diverse students, united by VR headsets, soar through a boundless virtual landscape. Their combined imagination brings to life a magnificent robotic dragon, its metallic form gleaming as it bursts through the limitations of VR, symbolizing the limitless possibilities that await at Swinburne."

Elizabeth Belinda

Course: Master of Architecture
Artwork description: "The artwork depicts the illustration of the next gen_campus, emphasising the collaboration, innovation, and technology of Swinburne University. The top image (Image 1) depicts students and Razor (Swinburne Mascot) hand in hand to emphasise our strong community. The collaboration aspect is shown in the image of students' group work (Image 2), project discussions between students and staff/clients (Image 3), and co-design between students and the wider community (Image 5). The innovation and technology aspects are depicted in Images 4, 6, and 7, which showcase our advanced technology (VR, AR, AI, IT network) and outstanding research facilities. All the images are connected with lines to emphasise integration. The artwork mostly uses red and black colour codes, following Swinburne's core brand. Viewers of this artwork could find out more information about the new Latelab and student hub by scanning the QR code."

Rhiannon Hoon

Course: Bachelor of Design
Artwork description: "My artwork utilises a dynamic composition of mediums, blending manipulated AI generated imagery with photoshop to embrace Swinburne's ideals of technology and collaboration. With futuristic elements, my artwork conveys Swinburne's next steps for the future and 'building tomorrow together'."

Keep exploring