The ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies is located on Ellery Crescent within the ANU Campus, sited between the Chancellery and Chancellery Annex. It is a two storey masonry structure that reflects the nature of traditional architecture from the region in a contemporary manner.

The entrance is signified by the two storey blade wall that is aligned on the Mecca axis. From the entrance one is drawn in to the central atrium space that features the tiled floor artwork. A rich tiled floor surface in a geometric pattern based upon the Islamic idea of creating order out of chaos. Whilst standing on the artwork the eye is drawn out towards the waterwall in the courtyard. The waterwall has the same pattern on the vertical face linking the inside with the outside.

A timber stair reaches up into the atrium space leading to the storey above. From the top of stair one is confronted with views across Fellows Oval to Black Mountain beyond. The Director’s Office, Administrators Office and Meeting room are adjacent to this area. A timber bridge links the spaces surrounding the atrium. The building contains a lecture theatre, tutorial room, meeting room, staff offices, graduate scholar rooms and a majlis. The teaching spaces are air-conditioned with the remainder of the building being naturally ventilated through a combination of manually operated and automatically operated louvres.