Monash University has appointed world renowned architect Moshe Safdie to design a new state-of-the-art building to house the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music.
This will be Moshe Safdie’s first building in the southern hemisphere.
The new building, to be located at the Clayton campus, will enable the University to continue to expand its already vibrant and successful School of Music.
As well as providing teaching and practice spaces, the new building will include a concert hall, jazz club and a recording studio.
The university noted that Mr Safdie’s approach to design is comprehensive and humanistic, rooted in the principle that a structure doesn’t function in isolation, but must be seamlessly integrated into the culture and landscape in which it exists.
Safdie says he is committed to enriching the urban environment by creating buildings that actively respond to their surroundings and the specific needs of those who use them.
“Architecture has an extraordinary impact on our lives; it impacts how we work, live, and experience our environment. With that comes a great responsibility,” Safdie said.
“For me, the foundation of architectural thinking is this impact on people. And the solutions evolve from characteristics of place, culture, and contemporary life. In this way we can create buildings that belong and thereby enrich the community.”
Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Ed Byrne said Mr Safdie’s vision for the new building, to produce a rich and vibrant learning and performance space that responds to human needs and aspirations, aligned perfectly with that of the University.
“Music and the performing arts are essential to the cultural fabric of any society. We have a vision to expand the heart of Australia’s cultural capital, transforming the University’s Clayton campus into an alternative cultural epicentre for greater Melbourne, particularly the south-east,” Professor Byrne said.
“Enhancing our existing vibrant Arts Precinct, Moshe Safdie’s iconic building will allow students, staff and the wider community to experience, enjoy and reflect upon the traditions and practices that create and nourish our cultural life.”
Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Rae Frances said the new building for the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music will allow the University to offer students world-class facilities to match the world-class music education they receive at Monash University.
“The School of Music is consistently ranked among the best in Australia but our facilities have not kept pace with our achievements,” Professor Frances said.
“The new building will be a fusion of elegant design and high technology infrastructure, and will reflect the philosophy underlying the School of Music, which seeks to inspire its students with an experience of music’s power to transform the lives of performers and audiences alike.”
Safdie will unveil his designs for the new building for Monash University’s Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music at a public oration at Hamer Hall on Tuesday 23 October starting at 6pm.
