Work has officially commenced on the new UNSW Canberra City precinct, a transformative development that will help reshape the heart of the nation’s capital and significantly bolster the ACT’s tertiary education sector.
Located at the corner of Constitution Avenue and Coranderrk Street in Parkes, the new university precinct will deliver education, research and innovation in critical areas like defence, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital engineering, climate and public policy.
ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr MLA joined UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Attila Brungs on site today to mark the official start of major works.
Chief Minister Barr said the UNSW Canberra City precinct is a key part of the ACT Government’s plans to grow the higher education sector, further diversify the Territory economy and enhance Canberra’s city centre.
“The UNSW Canberra City precinct is a key part of the ACT Government’s commitment and investment in fostering innovation, education and economic growth. We are proud to support this development, which will strengthen Canberra’s higher education offering and help cement our city as Australia’s knowledge capital,” the Chief Minister said.
“It will not only deliver a campus that revitalises the eastern edge of the Canberra CBD, but also bring new employment and students – attracting about 6,000 more students and educators to Canberra.
“Today’s sod turning is a major milestone for the project, which is a cornerstone of our city-shaping agenda – supporting urban renewal, industry collaboration and innovation in areas such as cybersecurity, defence and artificial intelligence.”
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Prof. Brungs said the new precinct will build on UNSW’s 57-year legacy in Canberra and deliver world-class education and research in a purpose-built, future-focused environment.
“UNSW Canberra City will be a place where education, research and industry intersect to solve some of the nation’s most pressing challenges and delivering against the ACT’s most exciting opportunities,” Prof. Brungs said.
“UNSW is focused on creating real-world solutions for real-world issues. We have been expanding our services and opportunities for Canberra and the ACT over the last decade, such as Launch, and the UNSW Canberra City precinct is our ‘bricks and mortar’ commitment to putting this philosophy into action for the betterment of Canberra, Australia and the world.
“UNSW has been educating Defence Force cadets at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra for five decades – we are proud of our local heritage and very excited to be significantly expanding our ability to support our nation’s capital.”
The development includes two multi-use contemporary buildings—Parkes West and Parkes East—designed by award-winning architecture firm Hassell.
The buildings will feature teaching and research spaces, retail and cultural offerings, and facilities for new and existing industry partners.
It is expected to be completed in time to welcome students and industry partners in the first half of 2028.
The precinct is being developed with a strong focus on environmental sustainability, with the buildings incorporating low-carbon materials, energy-efficient systems, and climate-responsive design. Landscaped green spaces, pedestrian pathways and end-of-trip facilities will support vehicle-free active transport.
We are embedding sustainability and First Nations principles into every aspect of the design, and we’re proud to be creating a campus that can be shared with the Canberra community; and one that they can be proud to have in their city.
The project’s primary construction partner was also announced at today’s event with Construction Control awarded the contract.
The construction phase of the project is expected to deliver around 350 new local jobs.
UNSW Canberra City is already attracting industry partners through its Launch innovation ecosystem, which currently includes 27 collaborators and 350 co-located staff. The new precinct will further expand these partnerships, creating a unique collaborative space for defence, cyber, space and security research.
UNSW already has a presence in central Canberra, having taken up residency in what was previously the CIT Reid campus, across Constitution Avenue from where the two new buildings are being built.
UNSW took its first intake of undergraduate students at the Reid campus earlier this year, with the inaugural cohort studying a Bachelor of Cyber Security.
More information about the UNSW Canberra City precinct, including renders of the buildings can be found at: https://www.unsw.edu.au/canberra/about-us/our-campuses/city/about-precinct/parkes
Renders of the new buildings can be downloaded here.