Architecture That Heals

By Benjamen Judd

If you happen to find yourself enjoying a leisurely stroll through Redfern or Erskinville, head down to the Waterloo Oval where the amazing community service and not for profit organisation, Weave, have just opened their newest out-reach facility.

Before its reincarnation, the site was just a public toilet block used by kids at the neighbouring skate park, which it the building now frames and overlooks. The design for the new construction radiates outward from an internal courtyard and green space, taking a form that the architects describe as a pinwheel. The canopy structure that overhangs over the building has been purposely left mobile, allowing for its disassembly and relocation if required.

Designed by Sydney architects, Collins and Turner, the centre – which provides housing for disadvantaged youths and family counseling – is a kaleidoscope of canopies and trellises that, over time, will allow surrounding foliage to gradually grow over it. The long-term effect will be a hybrid industrial/park space that seamlessly blends together. It’s also a nifty trick that will embed the building into the local environment, making it part of the landscape.

For more information on Weave and their projects, visit their website here.

For more information on Collins and Turner architects, visit their website here.