Forest Building, University of Tasmania, Hobart

Overview

This guide is for people attending the Universal Design for Learning Symposium at the University of Tasmania, 24-26 June 2026.

The Symposium will take place in The Forest, a newly opened university building in the Central Business District of Hobart.

The Forest Building can be accessed by the public in two main ways:

Through the glass-domed forest area at 83 Melville St to Level 1 of the building
Across a pedestrian bridge from Brisbane St to Level 2 of the building

The Melville St entrance is quite impressive and engages your senses. You will transition from the street, to the warmer forested dome, then to the open space of the main public section of the building. This is the most direct way to get to the symposium registration desk.

The Brisbane St entrance is a gentle introduction to the building, where you cross a footbridge to a quiet part of level 2. The toilets, lift and stairs are all located near this entrance. This can be helpful if you need time to get your bearings when you arrive, or take a bathroom break before heading to your symposium activities. There are also plenty of tables and chairs here if you need to rest or get organised.

We’ll guide you through both entry options in the following pages. There will also be guided tours of the building on Wednesday 24^th at 12.00, 12.30 and 4.00 pm, and on Thursday 25^th at 8.00 and 8.30 am.

1. Melville St entrance

The photo below (Figure 1) was taken from across the road from the main public entrance to the Forest. In the centre is a glass dome filled with plants, and on either side, there are brick buildings.

The doors to enter the building are in the centre of the glass dome section. The dome is set back from the street a little, so if you are walking along the footpath, it won’t be visible until you’re quite close.

A building with three main sections, viewed from across the street. In the centre, a glass domed section, set back from the street; to each side, an old brick building with large white framed-windows. — Figure 1: Melville St entrance

There is a loading zone out the front you can use if you’re arriving by taxi or Uber. However, please note there is no cut curb in this spot. There is an accessible parking zone at the Brisbane St entrance, or a cut curb further up Melville St. There’s a photo of this on the following page.

Walking along the footpath from Melville St

The next two photos show you the view walking along Melville St towards the Forest. In each photo, you can see both of the brick buildings, but not the glass dome between them.

Figure 2 below was taken after turning left from Elizabeth St. It also shows you the nearest cut curb to the building. It’s about 30 metres away from the entrance.

Figure 3 below was taken after turning right from Murray St.

A foot path with a cut-curb on the left-hand side of the view. On the right-hand side is a series of brick buildings, with a gap visible between them. — Figure 2: view after turning left from Elizabeth St

A few along a footpath, with a series of brick buildings on the left-hand side. There is a gap visible between the buildings, with some foliage poking out. — Figure 3: view after turning right from Murray St

Arriving at the Melville St entrance

If you continue along Melville St towards number 83, the gap between the two brick buildings will become visible, and you’ll see glass dome set back from the street. There are plants on either side and brick paving out the front.

The photo below, Figure 4, shows the entrance after turning right from Murray St.

To enter, go to the centre of the glass section, and there will be a set of sliding doors. Please see the following page for the details.

A side view of the glass dome viewed from across the street earlier in the document. It’s set against a brick building, with paving and landscaping out the front. The front of the glass dome is made of curved glass, with a wooden inset indicating the entrance. — Figure 4: outside the Melville St forest dome

Entrance to the Forest Dome

There is a set of automatic sliding glass doors at the entrance of the Forest Dome. These doors are open to the public, and will open as you walk towards them.

The photo below, Figure 5, shows these doors partially open, giving you a reflection of the buildings across the street, and a glimpse inside into the paved dome section. There are often sandwich board signs in this space with information for students or visitors.

Expect a change of temperature when you go inside. It will usually be warmer than outside. It will also have a range of garden, or forest-type, smells.

A set of glass doors opening into a paved area underneath a glass domed roof. Foliage is visible inside, including a tree fern in the distance. — Figure 5: Glass doors to the Forest Dome

Walking through the Forest Dome

Inside the dome, there is a wide paved path that curves gently to the right. On either side are garden beds with tree ferns and other Tasmanian forest plants. There is wooden seating on the left if you would like to sit and enjoy the atmosphere.

The domed roof is very high and you can see the sky through the glass, so it’s quite a unique way to enter a building!

Continue following the path, and you will find another set of glass doors to enter the main building.

Figure 6 below shows the view just after entering the dome. There is a boulder in the centre of the pathway towards the back of the dome. Take care not to crash into it.

A large glass dome with a paved surface and forest plants on the right and left-hand sides. A wooden bench is on the left-hand side. — Figure 6: walking through the Forest dome

Leaving the Forest dome

As you continue following the path around to the right, past the boulder, there will be a set of glass sliding doors in front of you. They are at about a 45-degree angle from the centre

This is the transition into the main public space of the Forest building. There are two sets of glass doors to go through.

In the photo below, Figure 7, these glass doors are visible at the end of the paved path.

Further into the glass domed building, with a set of glass doors at the end of a gently curved paved pathway. — Figure 7: Leaving the Forest dome

Inside Level 1 of the Forest

Once you have passed through the two sets of automatic glass doors, you will find yourself inside a wide, open space with lots of wood panelling and plants. There is also a giant tree stump to your left as decoration.

Opposite the entrance is a ramp, and next to it, a large screen where you can access UniMaps for wayfinding. This is pictured in Figure 8 below.

The registration desk for the symposium will be to the right of the entrance. Volunteers will be wearing pink hi-vis vests, and will be very happy to help you!

A tall black panel with a screen inset at head height. To the right of this, a ramp gently curving upwards and to the left. — Figure 8: UniMaps screen on Level 1 of the Forest

2. Brisbane St entrance

On Brisbane St, there is a staff entrance and a public entrance. The accessible parking is very close to the staff entrance, so for some people this may be the most practical way to enter the building. We can arrange access to this part of the building, so please keep that in mind as you read through the guide. Please contact Darlene via email at darlene.mclennan@utas.edu.au.

Parking area

There are five parking spaces opposite the staff entrance in a brick-paved area just off Brisbane St. Two of these parks are disability parking spaces, and two are temporary disability parking spaces. Both types of parking require a valid disability parking permit.

Figure 9 below shows the parking spaces. The staff entrance is directly behind the person taking the photo.

A wide open parking area with brick paving next to a wood panelled building. There are two disability parking spaces with a bollard and yellow lines on the ground between these parks, of equivalent space to another carpark. These parks are closest to the street. Beside these are three more parking spaces, closely aligned to each other. Two of these parks are marked as temporary disability parking. — Figure 9: Parking area on Brisbane St

Staff entrance to Level 2

The staff entrance is a curved alcove leading into the building from the parking area.

There are four large boulders arranged in a curve to form a circular shape with the building entrance. The boulders are unevenly spaced, and not all spaces will allow for a wheelchair or scooter to pass through.

Figure 10 below was taken to show the sliding doors in the centre of the building, aligning with the widest space between the boulders.

There are wooden benches on the right-hand side of the entrance, opposite the parking.

If you need any additional information about this entrance, please do get in touch to discuss with Darlene via email at darlene.mclennan@utas.edu.au.

On the far left of the photo below a bitumen footpath is visible. To access the public entrance to Level 2, follow this footpath along until you reach the next paved area on your right.

A curved building decorated with a series of wooden panels facing inwards. The entrance area is paved with the same bricks as the parking area, creating a sense of continuity. The four boulders in the entrance zone are different shapes and sizes with uneven spacing between. The brick paving stops around each of the boulders and there are bark chips between the boulders and the bricks. — Figure 10: Staff entrance to Level 2

Walking along footpath on Brisbane St

Travelling from the staff entrance to the public entrance, you will have the building on your right. You will go past two large trees on your left. In places the footpath is a little narrow, particularly passing the trees. At the base of each tree is some gravel that has been glued in place, so there are a few different surfaces.

Figure 11 below was taken from outside the public entrance, back looking along Brisbane St towards the staff entrance and the parking area.

There are several 1-hour paid parking spaces on the road just outside the building, visible on the right-hand side of the picture below.

There are three main sections in this photo. To the right is Brisbane St with several parking spaces adjacent to the footpath. In the middle is the bitumen footpath leading along a narrow space between the building on the left and the large trees in the footpath. On the right is a building, decorated with large wooden panels, and in front of it a raised, brick-paved seating area with a sandstone retaining wall. — Figure 11: Looking along Brisbane St towards staff entrance

Footbridge to the public entrance to Level 2

Turn to your left from the view in the photo above, and you will then be facing the Level 2 public entrance. There is a large wooden sign with arrows giving directions: to the left is the footbridge, and to the right, several flights of stairs that will take you down to the back entrance of Level 1.

This entrance to the building has a bit more of an industrial feel, with the stainless-steel rails along the brick-paved footbridge, and graffiti on a neighbouring building. The footbridge veers a little to the right, then turns slightly to the left, before ending up at the building entrance.

On the right-hand side of this photo is a spacious set of brick stairs leading downwards alongside a cement building facade. There are stair rails in the middle of each set of stairs and tactile markers at the top and bottom. To the left of the photo is a brick footbridge leading towards the upper rear entrance to the building. — Figure 12: Footbridge to Level 2

Entering Level 2 of The Forest

At the end of the footbridge is the entrance to the building. This entrance is open to the public between 8am and 5pm. During these hours the glass sliding doors will open automatically as you approach.

After passing through the first set of doors, pictured in Figure 13, turn right and continue through a second set of glass doors.

A set of glass sliding doors set into a wooden-panelled building, with a brick wall to the left. — Figure 13: Entrance to Level 2

Figure 14 below gives you a glimpse inside the building through the second set of sliding doors to a spacious paved area. There is a tall black panel to the left with a screen displaying UniMaps for wayfinding, and a range of seating in the distance.

A view through glass sliding doors into a building area with muted colour tones. The left hand wall and the floor is all brick, and to the right is a large curved wall. Beyond, there is natural light, wooden panels, plants and some seating. — Figure 14: Glimpse into Level 2 through the sliding doors

Bathrooms near the entrance of Level 2

Once inside, you will find yourself in a more traditional building space than the Level 1 entry through the Forest dome. To your left are the toilets, all of which are All Gender.

A wooden alcove set into a brick wall, leading off to the left into the bathrooms. On the brick wall outside the bathroom entry is a tall black panel with a large screen, displaying interactive maps. — Figure 15: Entrance to the All Gender bathrooms of Level 2

Getting to the registration desk via lift or stairs

The registration desk is on Level 1, so you will need to use either the stairs or the elevator to get there. Continue through the sliding doors at the entrance, past the bathrooms on your left, and you will find the elevator on your right. Just past the elevator are the stairs to Level 1. These stairs are quite wide, but are spiral stairs curving tightly to the left. It means that walking on the right-hand side will give you the most space and stability walking down if you choose that option.

Exiting the elevator or stairs on Level 1, turn to your left, and you should see the registration desk and the friendly volunteers, ready to help you! They will all be wearing pink hi-vis vests.