The UWA Student Guild’s Club Collaborative Zone (CCZ) has another gong to its name, taking home the Best Building or Refurbishment over $1million at the Tertiary Access Group (TAG) Awards, held in Canberra last week. The building is no stranger to accolades having previously been awarded the 2016 WA Architecture Interior Award.
The floor, which has numerous green credentials under its belt, was designed by Hames Sharley back in 2014 in collaboration with the UWA Student Guild’s enthusiastic Council and staff. Featuring an open plan design filled with study pods, quiet rooms, high tech visual-audio areas, meeting corners and a bevvy of hidden storage solutions, the space finds the perfect balance between functional design elements and beautiful finishes.
Nevin Jayawardena, 104th UWA Student Guild President said, “By maximising the use of space through its open plan design and via a number of flexible rooms and areas, the space acts as the official home of our numerous student-run organisations, and we are confident the space will meet their needs for many years to come.”
The Guild currently has 146 affiliated clubs that run in excess of 1000 events annually in addition to many community service programs, career development opportunities, volunteering, personal development and of course catering to niche interests.
“Clubs are an essential part of UWA’s thriving campus culture, providing invaluable opportunities for students to socialise, network and develop leadership skills in a safe and supportive space. We are proud to have built this dedicated hub to facilitate student collaboration and innovation, and are delighted that our peers at TAG have recognised the hard work that went into creating this wonderful building in such a prominent and esteemed way,” Jayawardena said.
The CCZ is just one of many spaces the Guild has reviewed and refreshed in recent years as part of its Capital Works Strategy. This year alone it’s transformed the Second-hand Bookshop into a tranquil Scandinavian styled haven, launched the elegant Hatch on Hackett coffee stop, and now have plans to redevelop the longstanding Refectory on Oak Lawn.
“We feel this award reinforces that we are moving in the right direction; one that is based on sustainable principles, forward-thinking, and most importantly, puts the students - our fellow peers - first. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved and would like to commend the team, including the Guild Council past and present, that has worked with us to transform the student experience at UWA,” Jayawardena said.