Narla Village Community Centre

The Building has been positioned unobtrusively in the village over a detention basin and extensive Geotechnical advice was required to ensure the pier structure would allow the overflow of water from a nearby water reservoir tank and the adjacent hillside, to follow underneath the building.

With the need of the elderly in mind, easy access into the building is ensured by the ramping of both ends of the verandah which allows wheelchair access, and with the centre being positioned on the ring road of the village easy pick up and set down of residents has been achieved. Because of the community centre being surrounded by bushland and falling leaves would be a problem for the guttering, one construction feature of the building was to do away with the guttering and allow all rain water and leaves to fall straight into the detention basin.

The steel frame construction has provided an interior that is unobstructed by columns and has the advantage of high ceilings with excellent use of natural lighting. There is a smaller meeting room which may be used as consulting or interview rooms and a well equipped kitchen. Also at either end, double doors open on to covered balconies, ideal for small group activities, such as for a barbecue or just to sit and contemplate.

Design elements and colour are used to provide a harmonious relationship between the built form and the natural bush setting.