Utilising our experience in design excellence competitions and student accommodation, Urbis guided and managed the design competition on behalf of Linkcity. Additionally, supporting them throughout the competition process to achieve a positive outcome.
We worked closely with the City of Newcastle and the NSW Government Architect’s Office to establish a design excellence framework to ensure entries embedded student wellbeing and an appropriate heritage response.
Group GSA were selected as the winning architect by an independent jury, successfully addressing the planning, activation, heritage, and the public domain requirements.
In particular, the students’ wellbeing and social experience was at the core of the proposed scheme.
The site contains the Cambridge Hotel, a heritage item, which is currently used as a live music venue and has great social significance in Newcastle. The scheme’s marriage with heritage was successful, and celebrated the social experience of the Cambridge Hotel.
The proposal will ultimately deliver approximately 550 student accommodation beds to support the growth of the University of Newcastle at Callaghan and the City Centre. This will be the first student accommodation scheme outside the University of Newcastle, and will contribute to the revitalisation of Newcastle’s West End.
“550 student accommodation beds to support the growth of the University of Newcastle at Callaghan and the city centre, and will continue to revitalise Newcastle’s West End.
