The Coombs Building Refurbishment Project is an exciting infrastructure project designed to transform teaching and working spaces at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific at The Australian National University.

The iconic Coombs Building was one of the first permanent structures on campus. It was named after Herbert Cole Coombs, Chancellor of the University from 1968 to 1976.

The building was designed by architects Mockridge, Stahle and Mitchell and constructed over nine years from 1960 to 1969. The architects were renowned for their innovative approach to construction and their work on educational buildings across Australia.

Since then, the Coombs Building has been home to many of the world’s leading experts on Asia and the Pacific and thousands of students have passed through its corridors.

The Coombs Building Refurbishment Project will retain the strong history of the building while ensuring both staff and students have world-class facilities to learn and work.

The Project will revitalise classrooms to further enhance the quality of education at the College. It will create spaces that facilitate and encourage collaboration among staff, and it will ensure the physical environment reflects the calibre of research undertaken across the College.