BUILDING REFURBISHMENTS

St Georges Anglican Life Centre, Pearce

AMC were initially engaged by the Anglican Church in 2002 to prepare a masterplan for the future redevelopment of the church including extensions to the worship centre, a new administration / meeting wing and new residential accommodation for the rector including additional short term accommodation for other clergy or those in need. The design concept for the extension sought to create a more attractive and inviting main entry to the Church including a new community hall, lounge area, meeting rooms, kitchen and ablutions. Picking up on an Australian inteperetation of spirituality, the new building avoids a traditional ecclesiastical architectural language. It finds its form through a 50m long curve-linear red-ochre wall which appears to grow out of the land, rising upwards to a high point, disguising the somewhat uninviting existing worship centre. As this wall changes shape it creates some spaces that are defensible and others which are welcoming to the public. The project also included a prayer room attached to the existing worship centre which follows the same curve-lienar form of the new administration / community hall building.