RMIT Melbourne City campus facts for kids
The Melbourne City campus is the main campus of RMIT University. It's located right in the heart of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. People sometimes call it "RMIT City" or the "RMIT Quarter" because it's such a big part of the city.
Contents
Where the Campus Is Located
How the Campus Started
The City campus is RMIT's first and oldest campus. It began in 1887 as the Working Men's College. The idea came from Francis Ormond, who wanted to teach "art, science, and technology" to working people at night. He thought this was very important for Melbourne as it grew quickly.
Ormond wanted the college to be in the city center. The government gave land for it near the Supreme Court. This spot was chosen because it was close to the Melbourne Public Library and Art Gallery (now the State Library of Victoria).
The college was built near the old Melbourne Gaol (jail) and courts. As the jail was closed down, the college grew onto its land. This means the campus is in a very old and important part of Melbourne. The college grew much bigger than anyone expected, so it expanded bit by bit whenever land or buildings became available.
The City Campus Today
Today, the City campus is the largest of RMIT's five campuses. RMIT also has campuses in other parts of Melbourne and in Vietnam. As of 2010, it has 68 buildings and covers a huge area.
The campus spreads across six city blocks, north of La Trobe Street. It's a key part of Melbourne's northern city center. Because it's so spread out, some people compare it to universities like New York University or the Sorbonne.
The campus is surrounded by interesting multicultural areas. These include Melbourne's Chinatown, Greek Precinct, and Little Italy. It's also next to the State Library of Victoria and near the Queen Victoria Market. Getting there is easy with trams on Swanston Street and the train station at Melbourne Central.
Bowen Street is the main path through the campus. The blocks east and west of Bowen Street are completely filled with campus buildings. Bowen Street is closed to cars and is a special area just for people walking. There aren't many big open spaces, but there are smaller areas like Ellis Court and University Lawn. Students also enjoy the lawns of the State Library next door.
Books About the Campus
The book A skilled hand and cultivated mind: a guide to the architecture and art of RMIT University talks about the art and buildings at RMIT. It shows how RMIT's architecture and art have changed over 125 years. It starts with the first building, the Francis Ormond Building, and takes you on a tour of the campuses.
Campus Development History
From the 1890s, RMIT's campus grew without a clear plan. Buildings were either built for the college or bought. The first master plan for the campus wasn't made until 1930. In 1929, RMIT was given the eastern side of Bowen Street, which was part of the old Melbourne Gaol site. This area was developed slowly and finished in the mid-1950s.
In 1950, the Melbourne City Council gave RMIT full use of Bowen Street for its campus. By the mid-1960s, the campus owned all the buildings along Bowen Street and some on Swanston Street.
In 1965, architect Osborn McCutcheon created a new master plan. This plan included some tall tower blocks, like Building 10, 12, and 14, which face Swanston Street. These buildings replaced older, historic schools. The plan was to build five identical towers, but only three were finished. People didn't like their design, calling them "grey silos" because they had few windows facing the street. So, the last two towers were never built.
In 1975, architect John Andrews designed the first part of the new Building 8. This building replaced the spot where a fourth tower was planned. The lower levels were built over old school buildings and lanes. The second part of Building 8 was added in 1993, designed by Peter Corrigan. This was the last big building built on the Bowen Street blocks. The fifth tower was never built, so historic buildings like Building 16 (Storey Hall) are still there.
In the late 1990s, architect Peter Elliot led a major redesign of the campus's outdoor areas. The first part, finished in 2000, turned Bowen Street into a walking path. It also created open spaces like Ellis Court and Bowen Terrace. Later stages added Alumni Courtyard and University Lawn.
In 2007, for its 120th birthday, RMIT started a huge A$600 million building program. This program, which finished in 2015, updated many old buildings and built new ones. Notable new buildings include Building 80 (Swanston Academic Building) and Building 100 (Design Hub). The plan also aimed to expand the campus to the western side of Swanston Street. This program helped bring RMIT's different schools and colleges closer together on the main campus.
Important Buildings
Early Buildings
RMIT Building 1 (Francis Ormond Building):
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Building 1 was the very first building of the Working Men's College, which became RMIT. It's on the corner of Bowen Street and La Trobe Street. This three-story building looks like an old castle, with a special roof. Its design was chosen in a competition in 1883. It's made of brick with fine sandstone.
The first part of the building was built between 1885 and 1886. Francis Ormond, who started the college, gave £5,000 to help build it. People in the community matched his donation.
The college officially opened on May 6, 1887. Over 200 students signed up in the first week, and by 1889, there were over 2000! This meant more classrooms were needed.
The second part of the building was built between 1890 and 1892. It cost £13,700 and included a tall tower. A bronze statue of Francis Ormond was put outside the building in 1897.
The inside of the building was damaged by fire in 1953. It was later completely updated between 2008 and 2010. This renovation cost A$15 million and brought back many of its original features. It also added a cafe and a grassy area.
After the renovation, it became one of the first 19th-century buildings to get a five-star green rating. It uses solar power, collects rainwater, and stores it in tanks under the lawn.
The building is now RMIT's main administrative center. It houses the Chancellery and the University Council.
RMIT Building 2 (Old Arts School): Building 2 was built as an applied arts school. It's across from Building 1 on Bowen Street and La Trobe Street. This four-story building has a simple, practical design, like old factories in Britain. It was built between 1915 and 1916. The Governor of Victoria officially opened it in 1917 with a solid gold key, which is now in a museum.
Building 2 is now part of the RMIT School of Art.
RMIT Building 3 (Kernot Building): Building 3 was built as the Kernot Engineering School. It's on the eastern side of Bowen Street, next to Building 1. It looks like an old Greek temple adapted into a palace style. It was built between 1930 and 1931. It was named after the Kernot brothers, William and Wilfred, who were engineers and leaders of the college.
The building was opened by a famous army general and engineer, John Monash, in 1931. This was one of his last public events.
This building was built on the site of an old Melbourne Gaol (jail) cell block. During construction in 1929, workers found what they thought was the grave of the famous bushranger Ned Kelly. It was reported that students took some bones, but they were later returned.
Between 1998 and 2002, the inside of the building was updated, and a fourth story was added. This cost A$13.4 million. The new level also connected to Building 5. The RMIT School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering moved out in 1998, ending 67 years of engineering teaching there.
Building 3 now houses the RMIT School of Applied Sciences.
RMIT Building 4 (Old Trades School): Building 4 was built as a trade school in 1890 because the number of students was growing fast. It's on the western side of Bowen Street, near the La Trobe Street entrance. This four-story building also has a castle-like design with a tower. Its stained-glass windows have a unique design.
The building used to have a steam-powered electric generator in its basement. This was rare in Melbourne in the 1890s and even powered Building 1.
Building 4 now houses part of the RMIT School of Art.
RMIT Building 9 (Old Radio School): Building 9 was built as an electrical and radio communications school. It's on the corner of Bowen Street and Franklin Street. This three-story building has a smooth, modern design. It was built between 1938 and 1942.
During World War II, over 5,300 Royal Australian Air Force personnel trained here to be radar operators and radio mechanics. The aeronautical engineering school also started behind this building.
Two more stories were added to the building between 2008 and 2009. The inside was also updated. Its basement was renovated between 2011 and 2012 for media studios.
Building 9 is now home to the RMIT School of Media and Communication.
Acquired Buildings
RMIT Building 11 (Spiritual Centre):
Building 11 is a group of connected buildings that were once part of the Melbourne Gaol (jail). It includes the old gatehouse, service wing, bathhouse, and chapel. These buildings were constructed between 1860 and 1861. They are mostly two stories high and made of bluestone.
The buildings are connected by a central courtyard. A unique thing about the chapel is a fig tree growing on top of the wall in one of its courtyards.
The jail stopped operating in 1924. The buildings were then given to the Emily McPherson College (now Building 13) in 1927. Most of the other jail buildings were taken down in the 1930s.
During World War II, a disused cell block was reopened as a military prison. A wall was built to keep students separate from the prisoners. After the war, the cell block was used for storage. In 2007, the chapel was remodeled into a multifaith space for different religions.
These buildings are important because they are some of the oldest surviving parts of a jail in Victoria. They also contain parts of the original jail structures.
Building 11 now houses the RMIT Spiritual Centre and Chaplaincy. The National Trust has run the remaining cell block as a museum since 1972.
RMIT Building 13 (Emily McPherson Building):
Building 13 was built as the Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy. This college joined RMIT in 1979. It's on the corner of Franklin Street and Victoria Street. This four-story building has a grand, classical design with large columns. It was built between 1925 and 1926.
It was built on the site of the former Governor's residence and parts of the old Melbourne Gaol. After the jail closed, its gatehouse, service wing, bathhouse, and chapel buildings were given to this college. These buildings were mainly used for fashion and food technology classes.
The college was named after Emily McPherson, whose husband donated money for its construction. It was opened by Emily McPherson and the Duchess of York (who later became the Queen Mother) in 1927. A crowd of over 5000 people watched the opening ceremony.
Between 2007 and 2010, the building was updated. Its outside was restored to look like it did in 1927. The inside was redeveloped for business education. This cost A$23.2 million.
Building 13 now houses the RMIT Graduate School of Business and Law.
RMIT Building 16 (Storey Hall):
Building 16 was built as a meeting hall for a society called the Ancient Order of Hibernians. It's located at 342-348 Swanston Street. RMIT first rented the building in 1947 and bought it in 1957. This three-story building has a classical design with columns and decorative features. It was built between 1884 and 1887.
The building cost £25,000, raised by the society members. It opened in 1887 and was the largest private hall in Melbourne at the time.
The hall stopped being used by the society in 1903. It was then bought by a preacher named John Alexander Dowie, who used it as a church. Later, it was sold again and used for entertainment.
Building 16 is now home to RMIT Gallery.
RMIT Building 19 (former Melbourne City Watch-House): RMIT Building 20 (former Melbourne Magistrates' Court):
RMIT Building 22 (Singer Building): RMIT Building 24 (Forrester's Hall): RMIT Building 113 (Capitol Theatre):
Recent Buildings
RMIT Building 8 (Union House):
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RMIT Building 80 (Swanston Academic Building): RMIT Building 100 (Design Hub):
Open Spaces and Common Areas
Alumni Courtyard and Belvedere:
Bowen Street and Bowen Terrace: Ellis Court:
University Lawn:
RMIT Village (Old Melbourne)
Images for kids
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The southern entrance to Bowen Street (at La Trobe Street). Building 1 and Ellis Court are in the center and Building 3 is to the left. The State Library of Victoria is to the right (across La Trobe Street).
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Old Melbourne Gaol site in the 1920s
