COLLABORATION between students and staff has led to the opening of a "welcoming" study space at the university.
The University of Newcastle Students Association (UNSA) worked closely with management to deliver an "accessible and safe environment which caters to the needs of the students".
"It's a dream come true. We have been asking for a space like this for so long," UNSA president Jessica Phillbrook told the Newcastle Herald.
"We took the idea to the university about a year and half ago and worked with them to make the perfect space.
"The first this was making sure it was safe, accessible, inclusive and usable for students."
The House is located on the Callaghan campus next to the university's main eateries in the Shortland Building. Built in 1969 as a staff club, the site was converted to a restaurant and function centre called Isabella's in 2006, according to Vice Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky who officially opened the building on Monday.
"It has been closed for the last four years. Construction of The House began in November 2021," Professor Zelinsky said.
"We've started to understand what students want and they want more open spaces where they can work and socialise and collaborate.
"It's great to see an old building come back to life and see it move from what used to be a staff amenity to a student amenity. Which talks about what the university is doing in saying 'students first'."
With many of its original features retained, including the pendant light fittings, the site now has meeting rooms and a boardroom fitted out with online conferencing technology.
Available to students between 6am and 1am, the building's open-plan kitchen and lounge space means it goes beyond academic convenience.
"I love it. I think it's exactly what we needed," third year Law and Social Science student Summer Harrison said when seeing The House for the first time.
"As a student who studies all day and night I think this is a great place to bring friends along and just chill out."
Ms Phillbrook said having a purpose-built student facility is vital for a positive university experience.
"Student lifestyle and student belonging are so important," Ms Phillbrook said.
"It means being able to come together with your friends, being able to work together on group projects with people you don't know but having the time to get to know them.
"It's also having a space where you can just relax and be able to step outside that academic mode just for a while. The inside-outside aspect of this building, having the trees around you is a really grounding thing."
The mural in the building's main area was done through a collaborative art workshop involving a diversity of university alumni including some from the Wollotuka Institute.
University art curator Gillean Shaw said the collaborative concept was started by Elder in Residence Aunty Bronwyn Chambers and influenced by traditional ways of working together.
"Everyone has a great time. They arrive saying 'I'm not creative' and leave feeling proud," Ms Shaw said.
"It makes the space of us, by us so I think that's really important."
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