Plans for a $100 million First Nations residential college in Ultimo have hit a setback, with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) reconsidering how to deliver a project intended to bring student accommodation and public cultural spaces to Harris Street.
The university confirmed that its procurement process had ended earlier in the year without an agreement being reached. Although the original delivery arrangements have fallen through, UTS maintains that the National First Nations College remains part of its plans and is developing an alternative approach.
The process had involved refining the building design, establishing an operating model and working through commercial arrangements. UTS has not disclosed a specific reason for the unsuccessful negotiations or announced a revised construction timetable.
More Than Student Accommodation On Harris Street
First proposed in 2018, the college was designed to become a residential and cultural centre on Gadigal land, offering accommodation to Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. The proposed 15,000-square-metre facility would combine student housing with academic support and cultural programs, with a particular focus on improving access to university education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Beyond its residential role, the Harris Street development was intended to welcome the wider community through public events, creative activities and cultural engagement. Plans included spaces to showcase contemporary Indigenous art, film, performances and storytelling, extending the building’s intended use beyond university accommodation.
Indigenous community involvement also shaped the college’s design. Elders, students, staff and alumni contributed to the consultation process, while an Indigenous Stakeholder Reference Group reviewed architectural submissions and advised the competition jury.
Award-Winning Design Faces Uncertain Future
An architectural competition held in 2023 selected a proposal by Greenaway Architects, Warren and Mahoney, and OCULUS from six shortlisted teams. Each team was required to appoint an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Cultural Design Lead, ensuring Indigenous perspectives were incorporated into the proposals.
Jefa Greenaway led the cultural design of the winning entry, working alongside Architectural Design Lead Simon Topliss and Landscape Design Lead Bob Earl. The design later received a 2024 WAFX Award and was highly commended in the education category at the World Architecture Festival Awards.
The college had also attracted financial commitments from Woolworths, the NSW Government and the City of Sydney. UTS’s 2024 annual report recorded $12.4 million in philanthropic gifts secured for the project at the time, although the university’s latest update did not clarify whether funding arrangements would change under its revised approach.
Despite the procurement setback, UTS has not abandoned its ambition to establish the college. The university intends to draw on work completed during negotiations to develop another delivery model and has committed to keeping its partners and the community informed. A revised project cost, construction start date and completion timeframe have yet to be announced.
Published 14-October-2026
