Box Hill Institute Auditorium: When Design Meets Measurable Impact
THE CHALLENGE
Box Hill Institute, one of Victoria's leading TAFEs, needed more than a cosmetic refresh to their Elgar Campus auditorium. The institute required functional, flexible learning environments that teaching staff would actively choose to book and students would want to use.
The space serves as both auditorium and lecture theatre, requiring DDA compliance, acoustic remediation, integrated audio-visual systems, new seating, flooring and foyer upgrade. The brief demanded all of it, resolved to deliver measurable institutional value.
OUR APPROACH: VALUES IN ACTION
Client Success We measure success not by portfolio impact but by whether our buildings genuinely advance what our clients are trying to achieve.
From the outset, success was defined by utilisation: lecturer booking frequency, student take-up and sustained engagement with the spaces. Every design decision had to support genuine, measurable use.
Design Excellence The project demanded memorable spaces pushing boundaries whilst remaining practical and functional. We integrated:
- Sustainable materials and finishes with low environmental impact
- Adaptive design elements maximising space flexibility
- Features fostering a positive social atmosphere and community
The result isn't just visually compelling, it's operationally effective.
Inspired People Led by Steve Hatzellis, Sheri Haby and Harlan Guo, our collaborative process brought together institutional expertise and innovative thinking, ensuring every stakeholder had genuine input.
THE RESULTS: EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS
Since completion in February 2024, the spaces have delivered measurable impact:
- When teaching staff actively choose to book a space 30% more often, when students engage more deeply with their learning environments, that's when we know we're Designing a Future Worth Learning In™.
- Significantly stronger student take-up and engagement
- A vibrant, sustainable learning environment that's genuinely valued and actively used
"Working with HATZ on the Elgar Campus Auditorium project delivered exactly the outcome we needed. They understood our brief, worked effectively within the constraints of a live campus, and created spaces that have proven their worth. Usage of the auditorium has increased by 30% since completion, and our students are actively choosing to use these spaces. It's a practical, sustainable result that directly supports our teaching mission, and that's the measure of success for us."
Johan Bahari, Senior Project Manager, Box Hill Institute
WHY THIS PROJECT MATTERS
When teaching staff actively choose to book a space 30% more often, when students engage more deeply with their learning environments, that's when we know we're Designing a Future Worth Learning In™.
Purpose-driven design, grounded in measurable outcomes, creates lasting value for institutions and the people who use their spaces.
This project demonstrates what happens when architectural expertise aligns with clear institutional goals.
The Box Hill Institute Auditorium proves that prioritising client outcomes, pursuing genuine design excellence and bringing inspired people together creates spaces that transform how people learn and connect. It is the standard HATZ Architecture brings to education architecture across Melbourne and Victoria.
The proof is in the numbers. The spaces are now genuinely valued and actively used.
DESIGNING A FUTURE WORTH LIVING IN™
Overview
Client: Box Hill Institute
Location: Building B4, Box Hill Institute Elgar Campus, VIC
Type: Institutional Fit-Out
Role: Architecture, Project Management, Interior Design
Scope of work: Full Services
Budget & size: $750,000 - 440 m2
Completed: Feb 2024
Team
Hatz: Steve Hatzellis, Sheri Haby, Harlan Guo
Project Management: Box Hill Infrastructure Group
Consultant Engineers: M & T Consulting Engineers
Building Surveyor: RBS Building Surveyors
Head Contractor: Scope Commercial Projects
Photographer: HATZ