UNSW Adds $171m Tower to Randwick Campus Plans

An 11-storey education tower crowned by a rooftop terrace would rise next to a multi-billion-dollar campus redevelopment in Sydney’s south-east under plans put forward by the University of New South Wales.

The $171-million scheme would replace a carpark on Library Walk in the Randwick Health and Education Precinct at 8 High Street, Kensington, 6.8km from the Sydney CBD.

Under the plans by Architectus, the development, dubbed G25, would create 20,200sq m of gross floor area as well as end-of-trip facilities in the basement, a ground-floor cafe, learning spaces and workshops. 

The Ethos Urban planning report submitted as part of the development application said UNSW expected the project to take 27 months to complete.

It said the proposal would capitalise on the anticipated growth in student numbers across the next decade.

The plans are on exhibition on the NSW Government state signification development portal until May 20.

Construction of the Randwick Campus Redevelopment is continuing across the road from the proposal site.

The project won $500 million in government funding in early 2015 and will bring together two hospitals and the university.

The redevelopment encompasses the $658 million stage 1 of the Sydney Children’s Hospital, a $600-million UNSW Health Translation Hub and $780 million Prince of Wales Acute Services building.

▲ Renderings of the 11-storey G25 building proposed for the UNSW main campus, at Randwick.

UNSW is also working on a second Canberra campus as its facility in the nation capital nears capacity.

The UNSW Canberra is a partnership between the university and the Australian Defence Force Academy.

The 2023-approved masterplan for the new campus comprises four stages to be built over 15 years. The first is expected to open in 2027.

The final stages of the Canberra City campus include 50,000sq m of student accommodation to be built in two residential villages. Work is due to begin in 2031.