ABSTRACT
Since 1813, Boilerhouse has functioned as a school for orphans, the Rydalmere Hospital for the Insane, and, from 1998, as one of University Of Western Sydney's (UWS) six campuses. By 2009, the campus was thriving. Its population had leaped from 5,000 to 9,000 in just two years, and further growth was forecast. However, its public domain left much to be desired. The incremental development of the site as a whole had left a series of underutilized spaces, most notably a lifeless central plaza. Tanner Kibble Denton Architects designed a new pedestrian concourse that connected the main anchors of university life, the library and lecture theatres, and encouraged interaction and vitality by providing welcoming places to linger, eat, and unwind. The cornerstone of the scheme was the Boilerhouse. Originally built as an industrial laundry and heating facility for the Rydalmere Hospital, the Boilerhouse's tall brick chimney was a landmark on campus.
