How Peter Stutchbury Architects transformed a disused hospital into a dynamic arts precinct
If you’ve passed by Green Square’s Joynton Avenue of late, you might’ve noticed a striking new silhouette commanding your attention from the sidewalk.
Seven undulating timber-lined archways protrude from the former Esme Cahill nurses quarters, creating a bold timber canopy that extends into the building.
It’s a poignant overture for the Joynton Avenue Creative Centre; a new $32 million cultural precinct and a feat of architecture that has attracted a swag of accolades for its innovative design.
To cater for the exponential growth of Green Square, the City of Sydney commissioned Peter Stutchbury Architecture to enliven the former Esme Cahill nurses quarters – a 1930s red-brick building that lay dormant since 2000.
Opening its doors for the first time in May 2018, the facility now features a three-storey creative centre, artist studios, community shed, childcare centre and park.
Peter Stutchbury Architects took to the project with a great degree of sensitivity– with subtle features that honour the building’s heritage and an ensemble of sensuous spaces for community interaction.
Using Blackbutt timber battens, the aforementioned archways actually extend from the interior arches of the structure, with walkways cutting through each one to allow passage through to the foyer.
The vaults formed by the seven extruded arches are crowned with copper and lined with hardwood battens; between the individual vaults, glass gutters collect water and light and casting subtle shadows on the ground plane.
The interiors are equally impressive. What was a rabbit warren of rooms and corridors has been opened out with free-flowing, open spaces dedicated to art-making, creative practice and community workshops.
It’s the details that really seal the deal, with playful flourishes which complement the building’s heritage features, such as the upper level where the ceilings have been removed to expose the original timber structure.
In a continuation of Peter Stutchbury Architects’ subtle approach, much of the original red-brickwork has been left intact on the building’s façade and throughout, with additional brickworks and refurbishments provided by Lincoln Brickworks.
The former operating block (now the Banga Community Shed) is an architectural highlight – with the original slate roof curved upwards and augmented with transparent roof tiles.
A curvilinear constellation of bottle trees and limestone dot the perimeter of the building’s rear. From a distance, you could easily mistake it as a traditional landscaping feature. Bottle trees are, after all, ubiquitous in Sydney. But look closer, and you’ll see much more.
Titled ‘While I Live I Will Grow' by Colombian artist Maria Fernanda Cardoso, the work is a living sculpture and a metaphor for the coming together of Green Square’s community.
According to Ms Cardoso, “Bottle trees fascinate me because of their sculptural quality, their character and charm. Their visible growth can also become a visual analogy to the expected growth and maturity of the Green Square community.”
The building has been recognised with a number of prestigious awards, including the Lachlan Macquarie award for heritage and a national award for public architecture at the 2018 National Architecture Awards.