Our new workspace
A place where great minds connect, and incredible futures emerge.
The University of Melbourne is creating a connected innovation ecosystem that places research, industry, government, higher-degree students and elite thinkers in a single, purpose-built precinct. It is a place where great minds connect, and incredible futures emerge.
Melbourne Connect will provide FEIT with an open and engaging working environment. Over the next few months we will be providing you with in depth information into your new workspace.
FEIT will occupy eight new floors at Melbourne Connect. A typical floor is made up of three distinct zones: Workspace, Active Hub and Facilities.
Workspaces
On each floor, the typical Workspace provides comfortable professional settings for your workday.
The Workspace includes team areas, offices, focus rooms, and open focus booth seating areas that provide a quiet short-term work space. There are three utility points located next to each workspace that will house all of the expected offices supplies; including but not limited to multi-functional devices (printing and scanning), stationary, shredders, laminators and binders.
Workstations are grouped in pods of various sizes and configurations throughout the team area. Each workstation is an electric sit-stand desk, setup with dual monitors, a universal docking station and an ergonomic chair. Tall joinery units are installed at the entrance of each Team Area, providing a convenient location for personal lockers, coat cupboards and team storage. The units also create visual separation between the Workspace and corridor. Refresh Points with filtered ‘cold’ water taps are also built-in on the corridor side.
Facilities
Each floor compromises essential building facilities and amenities for everyday convenience.
When arriving on each floor, you are welcomed into a Lobby fitted with a waiting area with comfortable seating. Meeting Rooms are located adjacent to the Lobby providing easy access for external visitors without taking them into your workspace.
Large bathroom facilities are located on each floor, including wheelchair accessible bathrooms. Some floors also have small private changing rooms for exclusive use by FEIT staff - perfect when returning from physical activity. These are provided in addition to the end-of-trip facilities in the building’s basement.
Active Hub
The Active Hub provides staff with a variety of formal and informal spaces for meeting, eating, relaxing and working. Each Active Hub is connected by internal stairs, encouraging vertical movement and serendipitous encounters between staff, visitors and students from any floor.
The Active Hub is focused around kitchen facilities that provide a quick option for dining and coffee breaks. Kitchens have been designed with functionality in mind with dedicated preparation space and clear access to amenities, appliances and storage.
Open Project Spaces are a destination to encourage ideas sharing and cultivate creativity. Designed to suit a variety of collaborative activities, they can be used for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, presentations, and seminars.
Each Active Hub has a suite of enclosed meeting rooms that range in size, function and features. Meeting Rooms provide a more formal setting for collaboration compared to open meeting spaces in the Active Hub. Meeting Rooms are bookable and equipped with AV and technology systems including large display screens and videoconferencing systems.
You can download all of the MC floorplans here.
Focus Rooms
Focus Rooms are located at the edge of the Workspace and provide a convenient ‘pop-in’ space for one-on-one chats, private telephone calls and quiet work. Furnished with a small workbench and two chairs, the rooms feature two monitors and a universal docking station.
Focus Rooms can be booked in advance through Outlook or on the display screen at the door. A two-hour time limit is recommended when using the space due to limited natural light and to ensure availability for others use. If needed, these can be used up to an entire day however this shouldn’t be common practice.
Open Focus
The Open Focus settings are located at each end of the southern Workspace area, overlooking the wonderful views available at Melbourne Connect, Each semi-enclosed booth has a café style table and will be surrounded by planting. The Open Focus settings provide a comfortable short-term working alternative to the Team Area. There’s no need to book a booth in advance, however a two-hour time limited is recommended due to the lack of ergonomic setup.
Utility Points
Utility Points have been located at convenient locations across the floor, with a typical level accommodating three different utility areas; ensuring that your favourite pen is only a short walk away.
Each utility point will house FEIT Faculty office supplies and multi-functional devices (MFD) for printing, scanning and photocopying. MFD’s are configured with the same “Follow Me” printing system that is currently in use at the University and will be ready to use from your first day at Melbourne Connect. Managed by FEIT Facilities, key stationary items like pens and notebooks are stored in the custom joinery units and stock is replenished as needed. Larger stationary items for shared use are also located in Utility Points including paper shredders, binding machines, laminators, guillotines, heavy duty staplers, hole punches, scissors and label makers. Other features include a bulletin board, general waste and co-mingled recycling bins.
Change Rooms
In addition to the state-of-the-art End of Trip Facilities at Melbourne Connect, small private Change Rooms have been incorporated into the FEIT design. Change Rooms are located adjacent to the bathrooms on each level, however are for exclusive use by FEIT staff - perfect when returning from physical activity. Provided in each Change Room is a shelf, low stool, mirror and power outlet.
