Built between 1881 and 1924 the National Australia Bank is regarded as one of the most significant heritage buildings in Brisbane, designed by revered Queensland architect Francis Drummond Greville Stanley.

Housed within the campus are major departments of UQ’s schools of Business, Economics and Law. Expanding UQ’s presence in the CBD, the project fosters greater connection between students, staff, alumni and industry partners.

Heritage restrictions meant refurbishing the interiors required careful consideration. The upper levels of The Chamber consist of former offices with ornate walls and ceilings. Upgrading services in these rooms proved particularly challenging. We employed a strategy of relaying and raising the timber floorboards to allow ventilation, wires, cabling and other additions to be fed entirely from the floor, avoiding alterations to the heritage decor.

The Atrium’s restored 1880s marble floors are set dramatically beneath an ornate glass ceiling dome comprised of geometric shapes. The dome is the second in the building’s history. The original, which featured crimson and violet stained glass, was replaced during the 1920s remodelling of The Chambers.

During their research, the design team discovered a fortunate similarity between the colour of the old dome and UQ’s official purple hue. In reintroducing the vivid colours, we inserted a thread of continuity into the building’s story – a celebratory visual link between past and present. Incorporating the shapes on the existing dome in carpets, benches and tables helped tie several themes and historical layers together.

Considering ways to apply First Nations design principles to an ostensibly colonial era building in the heart of the CBD, the question was raised:

How do we bring together the various layers of history, culture, identity and place within the constraints of the project?

We were prompted to find ways of weaving an additional palette – one drawn from Turrbal and Jagera Country - into the project’s predominant colonial layers.

We pursued a strategy of suffusing and overlaying the heritage interiors with colours, furnishings and motifs that reference the local landscape.

In rooms where the palette was determined by existing heritage fixtures, we sought out complementary colours and patterns derived from the native flora and embedded them into the floor finishes 

The campus comprises three main types of spaces – engagement spaces, creative suites and teaching suites.

The main engagement space is The Atrium. A conference, collaboration and co-working space, it serves as an informal meeting area and a spacious, central venue for organised professional development, networking and event opportunities.

Free of heritage constraints, the adjoining tower provided the flexibility to cater to the university’s diverse and ever-changing educational needs. Home to the teaching suites, these spaces  

By adapting an old building that had outlived its original use, BVN has made a lasting contribution to the celebration and continuation of its history. Deeply considered design has given the treasured landmark new purpose and meaning, while carrying on the pioneering spirit on which it was first founded.