Michael Kirby Building

Opened in March 2024, the Michael Kirby Building is a striking addition to Macquarie University’s Wallumattagal campus, named in honour of jurist and human rights advocate The Honourable Dr. Michael Kirby AC CMG.
The Michael Kirby Building has transformed the 1985-built administration centre into an expansive, flexible four-story structure. The adaptive reuse of the existing ground and first-floor concrete structure now features a lighter, timber-framed system and glazed façade.

The space has an extensive amount of timber and the material palette considers both the comfort and the well-being of students and faculty in the building. Architects such as Hassell look to subconsciously link nature and biophilic considerations in designs such as these to improve the well-being of an individual.

The implementation of indoor and outdoor gathering areas in the design, encourage interaction and the exchange of ideas.
The university continues to offer state-of-the-art research spaces, along with a suspended moot court over the main entry. The moot court and the overall structure reaffirm Macquarie University Law School’s reputation as a respected international contender in the legal field.

Hassell’s design fosters collaboration and innovation among staff, students, alumni, researchers, and industry partners. Internal spaces are designed for adaptable use over time, meeting the University’s evolving needs.

Our Proplank click-in batten system can be found along the ground floor of the building. The 30x20mm batten ceiling features near 11,000 lineal meters of our American oak, pre-finished in Enviro Clear. This finishing product is a smooth, film-forming coating that is used exclusively for internal timber installations. This is primarily because it allows for easy maintenance when specified for high-traffic areas.