UTAS Stone Building Redevelopment

Project scope

Engaged by Xsquared Architects together with BVN, COVA delivered Building Services for the revitalisation of the heritage listed Stone Building for the University of Tasmania at their Inveresk campus is part of the University’s $300M Northern Transformation project.

The dramatic Stone Building was originally a locomotive repair workshop built in the early 1920s and has maintained its original industrial character, but now provides a vibrant blend of modern administrative, teaching, learning, gallery, collaboration, and amenities spaces

All works were delivered within the envelope of the existing building, achieving increased activation and showcasing the dramatic  features of the existing 50 tonne overhead cranes and massive concrete trusses.

An ambitious sustainability agenda was pursued, with the design considered against a ‘whole life carbon’ assessment methodology to achieve greater than 30% whole life carbon savings compared with a comparable new build. The research supporting this achievement is being made available to the University to underpin the carbon case for revitalisation of other existing heritage buildings. This approach to Environmentally Sustainable Design, with a strong carbon focus, puts the design work at the forefront of best practice and makes a positive contribution to the Tasmanian community with a carbon neutral built environment in mind.

The project has been delivered in two stages; The $11m stage 1 was completed in 2023 and the $7M (TBC) stage 2 is currently underway, due to be completed late 2025, in line with the remainder of the broader Northern Transformation Project.