UTS opens Frank Gehry's paper bag

The University of Technology Tower now has some competition for the most talked about building on campus.

But while brutalist tower usually illicits complaints, the university is hoping the reception for the new Frank Gehry designed Dr Chau Chak Wing building is more positive.

Construction of the building has now finished ahead of its official launch in February next year, with media touring the building yesterday.

The building's undulating brick façade, punctuated by protruding rectangular windows, was made with 320,000 custom, hand laid bricks from Bowral. While a bricklayer might usually lay up to 600 bricks a day, one brickie working on the project told the ABC the unique façade slowed progress down to as few as 70 bricks a day. Construction took four years.

Professor Shirley Alexander, deputy vice-chancellor, Education and Students, at UTS, said the building reflected Australia's future.

"Australia can no longer compete on the cost of labour; we have to compete on the quality of labour and that's what these buildings are all about," said Alexander.

The interiors, designed before the building's distinctive crumpled exterior, comprise a number  learning, work and social spaces, including a café. The lower floors are each divided into six areas, with the folding façade designed to allow the maximum amount of natural sunlight to penetrate the interiors.

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Video: University of Technology, Sydney/The Timelapse Company

Rather than typical sprawling lecture theatres, the business school building comprises smaller collaborative workspaces, conference rooms and lounges as online learning shrinks class sizes.

Spread over 11 floors, the new building has 16,030 square metres of internal floor space. It cost a total of $180 million dollars, $20 million of which was donated by Chinese-Australian businessman Dr Chau Chak Wing, who also contributed $5 million in scholarships to UTS.

The property developer is no stranger to donations, being one of Australia's biggest political donors. He has contributed over $2 million to various Australian political parties, and has entertained John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Bob Hawke and Wayne Swan at his estate in China.

Chau is the owner of Kingold Group, a Chinese property developer with 6,000 employees. His son Eric studied architecture at UTS.

Photos: Andrew Worssam