Cook Islands Uniting Church
CLIENT
Uniting Church in Australia
Parish of Balkara
SITE
Burton Avenue Clayton, Melbourne
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The project involved reorienting the old church to fit a larger congregation and addition of a new hall and foyer directly connected to the worship space. A new commercial kitchen church office and toilet facilities allow a multiplicity of uses by the Parish throughout the week all under one roof.
This project is an expression of the changes that are happening in the Uniting Church. Many Churches in established suburbs are closing as a result of dwindling numbers and in many instances the disposal of these property assets creates new opportunities.
In this instance, the Parish of Balkara rationalised their property assets and retained one church in Clayton as a new centre for a growing ethnic community within the Uniting Church in Melbourne, the Cook Islands Congregation.
Images by Sonia Mangiapane
Client Testimonial
“It was a pleasure to work with Harmer Architecture throughout this rather protracted process (from our end); they were always on hand to provide any information needed and to support our submissions for approvals from Synod and particularly from the local Council Town Planning Department, which involved considerable negotiations over car parking, possible noise and other tricky issues.”
“I would have no hesitation to recommend Harmer Architecture to anyone considering a radical new way of using worship and community space.”
Faye Sanderson | Parish Secretary
