The building provides a range of teaching, social and research spaces across 3 levels, and creates a new civic meeting space linking the eastern and western sections of the campus.

At the upper level, the building wraps around a large Sydney Blue Gum, creating a shaded outdoor court. The building links to an existing classroom building with a new pedestrian bridge to extend the range of accessible facilities for students and staff alike.

The core idea that defines the building form and functional arrangement is housing information in a way that clearly articulates the collection of knowledge, both real and virtual, is central to the ability of the Abbotsleigh Research Centre to inspire.

The design sets out the resource collection in a series of timber and metal structures that define the primary structural and architectural grid.