UTS Assistance Animal Relief Area
In collaboration with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), ASPECT Studios has designed this modular facility for assistance animals.
Assistance animals play a vital role in fostering independence and mobility, making it essential to provide dignified and accessible facilities that support their needs. This new facility prioritises inclusivity, comfort, and environmental sustainability while reducing stress for assistance animals and their handlers while on campus.
Assistance animals play a vital role in fostering independence and mobility, making it essential to provide dignified and accessible facilities that support their needs. This new facility prioritises inclusivity, comfort, and environmental sustainability while reducing stress for assistance animals and their handlers while on campus.
- TRADITIONAL OWNERS & ONGOING CUSTODIANS OF THE LAND The Gadigal people
- CLIENT University of Technology Sydney
- LOCATION University of Technology Sydney City Campus, Ultimo, NSW
- YEAR 2023 - 2024
Developed through a collaborative engagement process with students, user groups, and Guide Dogs Australia, the design integrates practical features that prioritise accessibility and the user experience. Thoughtfully positioned for safety and convenience, the facility includes a folded steel seat for rest, a multi-use pillar equipped with a tap, bag dispenser, bin, and sanitising station. The modular structure allows for replication or relocation across the campus, minimising construction waste while meeting the needs of users.
Beyond accessibility, the facility incorporates a carefully selected native planting palette that engages the senses, benefiting both humans and animals. Textured and aromatic plants create a calming experience for users, while natural surfaces provide familiar scents for dogs. A natural grass toilet area offers a comfortable, familiar surface, reducing stress for assistance animals.
Though compact in scale, this facility is a powerful example of how small, considered interventions can drive meaningful change. By providing a dedicated, accessible, and hygienic space, the project fosters social inclusion while setting a precedent for similar public spaces beyond UTS.
Though compact in scale, this facility is a powerful example of how small, considered interventions can drive meaningful change. By providing a dedicated, accessible, and hygienic space, the project fosters social inclusion while setting a precedent for similar public spaces beyond UTS.
- TEAM ASPECT Studios, Gapcomm Projects, Inclusive Places, AW SIGNS, OGIS, Quattro
- PHOTOGRAPHY ASPECT Studios
