1954 — Now
Opened 1954 · Sulman Medal for Architectural Merit, 1953 · Brian Lewis, architect
A modernist landmark, still very much in use.
University House is one of Canberra's largest examples of mid-twentieth-century modern architecture — and the university's everyday address for staying, eating and gathering.
University House — The Living Edition
Contents
A record, in five parts
University House, from opening to the present day.
Stay
Eighteen heritage rooms keep their original Fred Ward furniture and Mid-Century Modern detailing; seventy-nine contemporary rooms carry the same character in a newer register.
A separate self-catered wing houses university residents — up to sixty-four, across sixty rooms.
Explore accommodation →Eat & Drink
Fig. 03 — Symposium, in the Kambri precinct.
Symposium
A café by day and a wine bar and restaurant by evening, in the university's Kambri precinct. The dinner menu is built on locally sourced produce, à la carte or as a multi-course banquet.
| Mon–Fri | 12:00–2:30pm, 4:00–8:00pm |
|---|
Gather
Fig. 04 — the Scarth Room, first floor.
Four private rooms host everything from breakfast meetings to milestone celebrations — including Boffins, University House's dedicated private dining and events space from 2026, seating up to fifty guests.
Private Dining — A Schedule of Rooms
| Room | Size | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Boffins | 73 m² | 50 banquet / 50 cocktail |
| Forrest | 32 m² | 14 boardroom |
| Stanner | 45 m² | 24 boardroom |
| Scarth | 90 m² | 32 boardroom |
The Scarth Room is on the first floor and does not have disabled access.
Private dining & events →The House
Fig. 05 — Sulman Medal for Architectural Merit, awarded 1953.
University House's design earned it the Sulman Medal for Architectural Merit in 1953 — the year before it opened. Surfacing that heritage, not just its rooms and dining, is central to this redesign.
A Chronology
- 1953
- Sulman Medal for Architectural Merit
- 1954
- Opened by Prince Philip, 16 February
- Brian Lewis
- Architect
- Fred Ward
- Bespoke furniture, in Australian timbers
- Lindsay Pryor
- Gardens
The building joined the Register of the National Estate in 2002. After the 2020 hailstorm, heritage architects Lovell Chen led its restoration.
Read the University House story →Visit
Open the invitation
You are invited to visit the House in person.
1 Balmain Crescent, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT