Building Highlight - Fenner Hall

Fenner Hall has had two distinct iterations. The first was established in 1992, and unlike the other halls of residence, it was located away from campus on Northbourne Avenue. The building itself had been constructed in the 1960s and consisted of two connected high-rise blocks known as Gowrie Hostel.  

It was re-named in honour of Emeritus Professor Frank Fenner. Fenner was a distinguished microbiologist and virologist who made significant contributions to the field of virology including overseeing the eradication of smallpox, combating malaria, and the control of Australia’s rabbit plague. In 1949 Fenner was appointed Professor of Microbiology at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the newly formed ANU. He had a long career at the ANU, including serving as inaugural Director of the ANU Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies (1973-79).  

Operation of the original Fenner Hall on Northbourne Avenue was taken over by UniLodge, with the residence renamed Gowrie Hall, a reference to its original name Gowrie Hostel. The residence closed in late 2020.  

The new Fenner Hall is one of the newest buildings on the campus, having opened in February 2019.  

Fenner Hall is one of the key components of the ANU’s Kambri development in the heart of the campus. It serves as a residential hall which is home to 450 students. The hall was designed with sustainability in mind and is the first student residence in Australia to be built with cross laminated timber, an engineered wood that is making the construction of timber buildings a reality. Timber buildings generate better internal air quality and require fewer Wi-Fi repeaters.

 

References

Fenner Hall n.d., Australian National University,

Fenner Hall Student Accommodation ANU BVN 2020, Australian Institute of Architects,

 

Original Fenner Hall, 2016. Photographer Steve Bittinger.

Original Fenner Hall, 2016. Photographer Steve Bittinger.

Fenner Hall, c. 2019. Photograph courtesy of Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer John Gollings.

Fenner Hall, c. 2019. Photograph courtesy of Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer John Gollings.

Fenner Hall, c. 2019. Photograph courtesy of The Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer: John Gollings.

Fenner Hall, c. 2019. Photograph courtesy of The Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer: John Gollings.

Interior of Fenner Hall, c.2019. Photograph courtesy of The Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer: John Gollings.

Interior of Fenner Hall, c.2019. Photograph courtesy of The Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer: John Gollings.

Fenner Hall, c. 2019. Photograph courtesy of The Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer John Gollings.

Fenner Hall, c. 2019. Photograph courtesy of The Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer John Gollings.

Fenner Hall, c. 2019. Photograph courtesy of The Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer: John Gollings.

Fenner Hall, c. 2019. Photograph courtesy of The Australian Institute of Architects. Photographer: John Gollings.