Chemistry Building Redevelopment

The School of Chemistry is currently undergoing a major building renovation. The overall plan will see teaching and office areas consolidated into the Chemistry West building while most research activities will be located in Chemistry East.

Stage 1A is all but completed and has seen the transformation of our 'heritage' first year teaching laboratories on the ground floor of Chemistry West into modern new laboratories with state-of-the-art fume-hood extraction and first-rate facilities for laboratory staff and students. Addition of large flat screen display panels and computers over the semester break will allow multimedia presentations of experimental methods to be introduced to our laboratory programs.

Stage 1A "after" pictures can be viewed here.

Stage 1B has been handed over to the builders and work commenced during the semester break, June 2008.

This stage will see the transformation of the western side of the ground floor (level 1) into a new library and student resource area. Our existing library will be relocated from the basement of the East Wing and the Chemistry Learning Centre will now be located adjacent to the new library. The existing CAL lab will be replaced by a new 'computer lounge'. The area will include wireless networking and a student meeting area. New tutors' offices and a reception counter will complete this stage.

Stage 1C sees the transformation of the East Wing basement to be the new home of the Laser Spectroscopy and Materials Characterisation Laboratories (Bieske, Smith and Ghiggino groups). The Electronics and Glass workshops currently occupying this area will be relocated to the basement of Chemistry West.

Stage 2, which will encompass renovation of the level 2 teaching labs is expected to commence in late October 2008 with an anticipated completion to allow classes to commence in the is new area in semester 1, 2009.

We will keep this site updated with photos and news as it comes to hand so that everyone can see our renovations come to life!