The University of Tasmania has officially opened its new $97 million Health and Science School building on Cimitiere Street in Launceston, marking the completion of the university’s relocation from Newnham to Inveresk.
The facility, known as ‘The Shed’, is the final and largest structure in the university’s $304 million move, a project that has been in the works for nearly a decade.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black and representatives from all three levels of government gathered on Friday to inaugurate the new building, which Black described as “equal to any in the nation.”
“This brings all of [UTAS’] education into the heart of the city, expanding our offerings and creating more opportunities for all Tasmanians,” he said.
The Shed will accommodate over 1,600 students and 160 staff from the university’s Health and Science schools, including those studying agricultural, psychological, health, pharmacy and biomedical sciences, nutrition, geography and nursing.
It will also support new allied health courses in physiotherapy, speech pathology and occupational therapy.
“This is an extraordinary gift that has been given to our city,” said Jo Palmer, the state government’s Minister for Education.
“This is about people being able to stay in northern Tasmania, in our city, in their community, to stay with the families that support them. This is about choice.”
Architecturally striking, the three-level building features floor-to-ceiling windows and is divided into three sections.
A large atrium forms the central hub, with two wings extending outwards – one dedicated to students and staff, the other to laboratories and research.
Designed by Wardle Studio architects and built by local firm Fairbrother, The Shed connects to the university’s broader Inveresk precinct via a pedestrian and cycle bridge across the North Esk River.
Its name pays homage to the two railway sheds that previously occupied the site, which were positioned almost identically to the new building’s two wings.
With a price tag of $97 million, The Shed was funded through the Northern Transformation Program, a collaboration between the Australian and Tasmanian governments, the City of Launceston and UTAS.
“This project provides exciting opportunities for our young people embarking on their journey of lifelong learning and also for the wider community,” said Jason Clare, the federal Minister for Education.
“This is not just wood or bricks or mortar, this is life-changing stuff.”
