Digital Innovation Hub, Bundoora
Client
La Trobe University
Type
Education, Workplace
Scope
970 sqm integrated industry, research and teaching hub to support new and existing enterprises in the growth and transformation of their business
Location
On Wurundjer-Willam Country
Bundoora, VIC
Outcomes
Supporting Innovation, Industry and Education
The Digital Innovation Hub is now a key feature within La Trobe’s Research and Innovation Precinct. Located in the Jenny Graves Building, it enables cross-sector engagement between students, researchers and industry partners, offering spatial flexibility without compromising technological rigour. The result is an environment that reflects La Trobe’s ambitions for real-world impact—an exemplar of how design can unlock value from existing assets while creating a platform for the next generation of ideas.
Operating as a one-stop shop for organisations, particularly start-ups and SMEs in Melbourne’s north and regional Victoria, the Hub will enable businesses access to a secure digital environment, high-end computing, network platforms, skills and technologies to identify and test digital solutions prior to deployment within their business.
Importantly the co-location of industry and research partners into the facility - Cisco Innovation Central Melbourne, the Optus 5G Lab and La Trobe’s Centre for AI and IoT - provides the SMEs industry support and collaboration opportunities in the development of their businesses.
Balancing Technology with Human-Centred Design
At the heart of the design was a focus on user experience. The Hub had to accommodate high-spec digital infrastructure while remaining welcoming, intuitive and adaptable. Spowers resolved this through carefully considered planning moves: clustering high-load digital labs along existing service spines, introducing daylight penetration via internal glazing, and integrating informal gathering points along circulation routes to promote interaction. Lighting design balanced task-specific performance with ambient warmth, while finishes softened the hard materiality of the original structure.
Designing for Immersive Technology
The design solution required a series of bespoke spaces with tailored acoustic, thermal and power performance. Key environments include a holographic conferencing suite, a reconfigurable IoT experimentation zone and interactive demonstration areas supported by high-end AV and 5G connectivity. The design allows for plug-and-play adaptability while ensuring secure access, controlled environments and a consistent spatial identity. Critical to the ongoing sustainability of the facility was the ability to ensure future flexibility delivered through a “loose fit” approach to the spatial design.
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