ECU City: Perth's New Vertical Campus in the Heart of the CBD
Heading into the city? Look up as you step off the bus - ECU City is Perth's bold new vertical campus, and it's right on top of the Busport!
What's All the Fuss About?
ECU City is Edith Cowan University's new home in the heart of Perth, Australia, sitting right across from Yagan Square between the city's business, entertainment and cultural precincts.
A first for Perth: It's the first comprehensive university campus in the Perth CBD, and it opened to students on 13 February 2026.
Big in every sense: The $853 million campus stretches across 11 levels and is expected to bring around 10,000 students and staff into the city.
A city partnership: It's the centrepiece of the Perth City Deal, a collaboration between the Australian and Western Australian Governments, the City of Perth and ECU.
The Architecture
ECU City was designed by Lyons in collaboration with Perth's Silver Thomas Hanley and UK-based Haworth Tompkins, and built by Multiplex.
A university on show: Rather than hiding behind walls, the building is designed to put learning on display. Vast windows and galleries spill life, culture and performance out onto the streets around it.
The digital façade: A vibrant digital media façade wraps around the building, and the main foyer is home to one of the southern hemisphere's largest indoor LED displays.
Built over the buses: The campus sits directly above Perth Busport and existing rail tunnels, so engineers had to build it without interrupting the buses and trains running underneath.
Designed with Country: The site was once an ancient place of learning and gathering among wetlands, and the design was shaped with the guidance of a Whadjuk Noongar Elders cultural advisory group and Kurongkurl Katitjin, ECU's Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research.
Greener by design: The project is targeting a Five Star Green Star rating, with energy-efficient climate control and natural ventilation.
Photo by Bahnfrend / Wikimedia Commons / "Edith Cowan University, City Campus, 2026 (01)" / CC BY-SA 4.0
A New Stage for Perth
The beating heart of the building is the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), which moved here from Mount Lawley.
Eight public venues: There's a recital hall, a playhouse theatre with a three-storey fly tower, a dance theatre and more, all stacked on top of each other.
Around 300 shows a year: Student performances in music, theatre and dance are planned throughout the year, so keep an eye on the WAAPA box office during your stay.
Studios and screens: The campus also has radio and television broadcast studios and the WA Screen and Media Academy.
Tips for Visitors
A few pointers to help you make the most of a visit.
What's open to the public: The ground-floor foyer, the art gallery and the Kaarlak Library on Levels 4 and 5 are open to the public on weekdays from 8am to 6pm. The rest of the building is for students and staff only.
Getting there: ECU City sits on top of Perth Busport and is a short walk from Perth Station, so it's one of the easiest buildings in the city to reach. Transperth timetables can change, so check before you go.
Make a day of it: Pair your visit with a bite at Yagan Square, then wander across to Northbridge and the Perth Cultural Centre for galleries, the museum and evening dining.
ECU City is a new kind of landmark for Perth - one that is meant to be walked into, not just admired from the footpath. Catch a WAAPA show, browse the gallery or simply watch the city reflected in that glass façade, and you'll see the CBD in a whole new light.
Want to start planning? Check out the WAAPA box office for upcoming performances at ECU City.
Staying with Nterval in and around Perth City puts you a short stroll or bus ride from ECU City, Yagan Square and Northbridge - the perfect base for a night at the theatre.
Cover photo by Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 4.0
