EDGY | Springfield, QLD
Sustainability was embedded throughout the design approach, with EDGY achieving a 5 Star Green Star rating.
Client: University of Southern Queensland
Location: Springfield, QLD
MODE Expertise: Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture
AWARD
2015
Ipswich City Council
Excellence in Design
EDGY | Springfield, QLD
The Education Gateways Building (EDGY) forms part of the second phase of development at the University of Southern Queensland’s Springfield Campus, providing teaching, research and student support spaces across education, allied health and nursing, engineering and construction disciplines.
MODE provided Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture services for the project, delivering a coordinated response across the building, interiors and surrounding campus environment. Designed to accommodate the equivalent of 350 additional full-time tertiary students, the building integrates with the existing campus through a link bridge connection to Building A.
The building is organised around a central atrium with four wings arranged in a pinwheel configuration. This planning approach establishes a clear circulation network, connecting teaching spaces, laboratories, staff areas and student services while creating a shared central gathering space. Integrated light wells bring natural light and ventilation into the atrium, reinforcing the connection between movement, learning and social interaction.
Flexibility was a key driver of the design, with a regular structural grid allowing spaces to adapt to changing teaching models and future requirements. Learning, research and collaboration areas are distributed throughout the building, with informal meeting spaces integrated into circulation zones to encourage interaction and provide intuitive points of orientation.
The architectural response establishes a strong relationship between the building, campus and surrounding streetscape. Orientation, façade articulation and shading strategies respond to the subtropical climate, reducing solar gain while maintaining natural daylight and visual connections between internal and external spaces.
Sustainability was embedded throughout the design approach, with EDGY achieving a 5 Star Green Star rating. Passive design strategies, including orientation, façade shading and natural ventilation, were integrated with broader environmental considerations to improve building performance and occupant comfort.
The completed building provides a flexible learning environment that supports the evolving needs of USQ’s Springfield Campus.