The John Knox Church of Christ sits on the corner of Swanston Street and Little Lonsdale Street in the Melbourne CBD. Büro has designed a new entry pavilion and added a mezzanine level to this 1863 church. This project is currently under construction and has involved extensive consultation with State and Local Government authorities, including Heritage Victoria, to ensure that the new entry building provides a significant contribution to the streetscape while remaining respectful of the heritage context. The project includes the refurbishment of the heritage meeting hall behind the church.
Stage 2 of the project will add a lift and mezzanine level inside the church.
Photography credit: Jack Lovel Photography
The Mernda Community Activity Centre contains a community hall, a pre-school, home and community care services, maternal and child health services and an aged care centre. It will be the central hub for a new development in the Plenty River growth corridor.
The Centre consists of a series of well-shaded pavilions, organized around a landscaped urban cloister. Our approach was to develop an aesthetic language appropriate for civic buildings in the Australian landscape. This building is indicative of our commitment to designing buildings which are environmentally sustainable, cost-effective to build, own and maintain, and are clearly legible.
We created the "Pop up Büro" for the North Melbourne Spring Fling festival. With a valued sponsorship from Maxi Plywood, it began as a 2.4m cube, painted vibrant green on the inside, then scored to allow sections to be "folded" out; creating a stand-up bar, a table and a seat. It became an eye-catching meeting point and a popular space to sit / stand and rest / eat. It's now possibly the coolest cubbyhouse in North Melbourne.
The Pavilion situated in the east paddock of the Hanging Rock reserve is a multifunctional space for visitors to enjoy BBQs and other events against the dramatic backdrop of Victoria’s geological marvel. The roof folds with sharp edges in reference to the process of the rock’s creation, but rests gracefully on minimal white branch like columns amongst the ghost gums and other native flora.
Stone cladding is the dominant material in deference to the context, complemented by a palette of timber and textured concrete - materials that should age gracefully in place.
The plan and roof form is carefully curated to frame views of the rock and other prominent features in the surrounding ranges. In the main space, an uninterrupted panorama is offered with its daring cantilever, while the rock walls provide shelter, protection and warmth at your back.
Photographs by Dianna Snape