In the historic town of Muswellbrook, The Upper Hunter Innovation Centre is the second stage of the Tertiary Education Centre that forms part of the UoN Upper Hunter Precinct, developed jointly by Muswellbrook Shire Council and the University of Newcastle.

The new building provides flexible laboratory, fabrication and teaching space on a prominent site on Bridge Street in the centre of the town. The project completes a grouping of buildings that includes two heritage items – Loxton House and Weidman Cottage, two of the oldest structures in the region.

As part of the works, Loxton House will be adaptively re-used with the conversion of the upper level into an innovation hub – providing flexible workspace for research and learning, with the two buildings linked via a glazed air-bridge.

A defining aspect of the project is the creation of a new covered public space that brings together the three structures, and creates an entry portico for the centre – an integral part of a wider plan to unify the Hunter Region Innovation Precinct with a series of new and revitalised public spaces and facilities on neighbouring sites.

Planning consent was granted in June 2020, following approval from the Heritage Council of NSW. Construction commenced in April 2021 and is due for completion in mid-2022.

Country

Wanaruah

Client

Muswellbrook Shire Council

Heritage

Genevieve Lilley

Structure

Partridge

Civil Engineering

Marline

Mechanical

Marline

Electrical

Marline

Hydraulic

Marline

ESD

Marline

Geotechnical

Douglas and Partners

Planning

Casson