Structural design and peer review of improvements to the site and existing heritage building

Nihon University - Newcastle Campus

Japan’s Nihon university is creating an international campus to appeal to both local and international students and expand their offerings in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Located in the former Newcastle Courthouse, modifying this heritage structure presented a fascinating engineering, design, and aesthetic challenge.

Our role was to provide the civil and structural design, and documentation, of the proposed re-development of the heritage site located at Church Street. Designing the interface between the new and old areas and remediating the heritage structure to meet mine subsidence design requirements, was complex but rewarding. The overall build included demolition of modern additions to the courthouse. These have been replaced by new wings flanking the original structure, which are designed to reflect minimalist Zen design aesthetics and include elements reminiscent of traditional Japanese shoji screens.

Despite COVID-19, completion was achieved on time. The completed building will fulfil dual roles as a campus for international students, as well as providing community and education spaces for Newcastle University. We’re proud to play a role in this unique project, successfully combining heritage architecture with a modern Japanese aesthetic and creating a space that celebrates both tradition and innovation.