Construction is well underway on Larkins Hall, our latest student accommodation project for Monash University on its Clayton campus. The project is our 11th mass timber building and our third student housing project for Monash University. The design process has provided valuable insights into pastoral care models and the ways thoughtful design can foster belonging and community. It’s also been an excellent opportunity to deepen our knowledge of mass timber construction in PBSA.

The use of mass timber is important because it enables Monash University to reduce the embodied carbon of new student accommodation, which supports the University’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. It also demonstrates sustainable construction in practice, helping Monash create lower-carbon buildings while contributing to its broader environmental and sustainability goals.

Beyond its environmental benefits, mass timber supports a biophilic approach to design, introducing natural materials, warmth and a sense of calm into interior spaces that can enhance student wellbeing and create more welcoming, restorative learning and living environments.