Sitting across Southbank Boulevard from the NGV the VCA is an odd assortment of buildings sliding down to Sturt Street. Even the lovely Elizabeth Murdoch Building facing St Kilda Road seems disconnected and alone. The campus is particularly quiet at this time of year as the 1,000 or so students disperse for the summer but there’s little on the outside to hint at how much goes on within; the creative energies, the recent organizational turbulence or even, which door visitors should go through.
In 2012 however, this outward wrapping will start to change as the Elizabeth Murdoch Building’s refurbishment is completed. It will house new sophisticated computer labs, a postgraduate lounge, top floor studios and facilities for lighting design and music composition. It’s reversing the onus, says Director of the Victorian College of the Arts, Professor Su Baker, bringing the students up the front, physically, psychologically and philosophically.
