Suffice to say a lot has changed since then, but never faster than now as technology, infrastructure, global economics and the rapidly changing needs of society demand an education that is nimble, responsive and effective. Right Angle has had the privilege of working alongside RMIT’s Property Services Group to give shape to their vision, goals and approach to creating places that can meet these evolving needs. The project is called RMIT’s Living Places Plan.

At the highest level, there are three things that make this project great:

1. RMIT has students, researchers and other staff to consider, but the university has also chosen to participate in city. This makes any citizen who might walk through, along or around its campuses a person of concern. We like this openness and generosity of spirit. 

2. The needs of education change much faster than the industry of design and construction, so you can very quickly have buildings that are no longer fit for purpose. Rather than impose a rigid and dogmatic masterplan that bakes in redundancy, RMIT’s Living Places Plan stays open to unexpected futures.

3. The team leading this project realise that narrative and storytelling are important alongside logic and facts. Even technical information is presented beautifully. 

So far, we have edited, designed and produced presentations about the Living Places Plan, but we are only just getting started and we will be around for a long time helping bring its ambitions to life.