Building 16 (Storey Hall), Melbourne City Campus, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Address: 336–348 Swanston Street Melbourne, Australia

 

Transport and Access
Located on Swanston Street, near the corner of La Trobe Street, catch a City Loop train to nearby Melbourne Central train station or to Flinders Street. From Flinders Street, you can take a connecting City Loop train or Yarra Tram along Swanston Street.

Trams running along Swanston Street include routes 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67 and 72. Tram routes 24, 30 and 35 run along La Trobe Street.

Visit the Public Transport Victoria website for more information and connecting services in your area.

No on-campus parking is available for visitors, but you’ll find many commercial car parks a short walk away. Metered street parking is also available nearby, but note the time limits and clearway restrictions.

 

Building 16 (Storey Hall) Introduction

First built as the Hibernian Hall, it was remodelled as the iconic Storey Hall in 1995, when it received an ultra-modern extension, featuring geometric-shaped windows and tiles.

While the remodelling preserved the original, heritage-protected building, the extension includes references to Melbourne’s architectural past, while showing what can be done with modern design and architectural techniques and technology.

The building is now home to the RMIT Gallery and includes a large auditorium and function space. It was originally built for the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society in 1887 – and the extensive use of green in the extension’s exterior references that Irish heritage.

The building was renamed in 1959 to honour two members of the Storey family with close links to RMIT.

Sir John Storey Senior, a pioneer of Australia’s automotive and aircraft industries, was Melbourne Technical College Vice President 1944-1945. His son, John Storey Junior, was a former Student Representative Council president.

What to see
Swanston Street facade
Storey Hall is a sandstone-faced load-bearing brick building. The front facade's classical design is dominated by the Corinthian columns set on a high base of Malmsbury bluestone. The National Trust citation says the “overall design is complicated by the use of coupled columns and elaborate temple windows in the Ionic order, on the first floor and the crowded quoin work on the pedestals which run through the ground floor... The most impressive example of the several halls erected by friendly benefit societies in 19th century Melbourne.“

Basement
To the left of the main entrance, steps lead down to First Site, the RMIT Union student gallery. The basement is notable for its original fireproof ceiling of concrete and corrugated metal.

Foyer and gallery
At the main entrance to the original building, bluestone steps lead up from Swanston Street to the RMIT Gallery, a professional exhibition space.

The new wing
Enter through the new glass door. Down the internal stairs is the 230 seat lecture theatre. Upstairs are a reception area and the main hall, capable of seating up to 750 people. The main hall combines classical and cutting-edge modern architecture into a vibrant and attractive whole. The shapes and spaces you see in Storey Hall were inspired partly by 'chaos' mathematics, particularly fractal geometry.