St. Mark's College (University of Adelaide) - Buildings and Grounds

Buildings and Grounds

Downer House

This residence (designed by Rowland Rees for Sir John Downer in 1877) was the first building to be acquired by the college. It now houses college administration, the Junior and Senior Common Rooms, an academic tutor's apartment and computing and printing facilities. A draft of Australia's Constitution was prepared in the building's ballroom in 1897.

Newland Building

This was the first of the college's dedicated dormitory accommodation, completed in six stages from 1926 to 1964. The architect Walter Bagot drew inspiration from precedents in Oxford, as it was the first tertiary dormitory in the colony and thus without local architectural influences. It remains unique in Adelaide. Most rooms in Newland building are assigned to freshers.

Memorial Building

Also completed in stages, "Memorial" (named for the students who fell in World War II) was intended to include a dining hall and eventually enclose the tennis courts completely, forming an Oxford-style quadrangle. However, the "quadrangle" plan was abandoned with the construction of the new dining hall on the southern edge of the tennis courts.

Grenfell Price Dining Hall

The centrally located dining hall was built in 1961 to accommodate growing numbers of students. It has seating for up to 250 people. The College Library on the first floor comprises over 16,000 volumes.

Allister McLeod Sports Pavilion

This modern gym, completed in 2005, is open to students 24 hours a day. In addition to weight machines and free weights, there are a number of exercise machines, including treadmills, a rowing machine and a stairmaster.

Tennis Courts

Bounded by the above four buildings are four grass tennis courts that provide a versatile recreation space in the centre of the College.

Hawker House

A Victorian mansion was acquired by the college in 1970 through an anonymous donation, and named for South Australian politician Charles Hawker. It is also available for student accommodation, and is usually populated by senior students. A bungalow-style extension was later added for fresher accommodation, known as Hawker Annexe.

New Cain / New Abel / Matheson / Lewis / Wall

Awkwardly named for the buildings that were incrementally demolished or enveloped as the new structure grew, these three-bedroom apartments are each equipped with laundry, kitchen and lounge facilities. The newest extension, opened in 2007 and incorporating the Matheson, Lewis and Wall buildings, mirrors Memorial Building to the east. The newest apartments vary in floor plan and are occupied mostly by senior students.

"The Pond"

This small quadrangle is the central meeting place of the college. The cruciform pond features a sculpture of St Mark.

Chapel

The old Downer property stables were converted to a small chapel in the 1970s by a student at the college.

Walkley Cottage

Built in 1839, Walkley cottage is the oldest brick building still standing in the state of South Australia. It now houses the Dean of the college and the Dean's family.