Victoria
Located on Phillip Island, Berninneit, (meaning Gather Together) creates a new purpose built public building to support a range of uses including a theatre, library, gallery, museum, community function rooms and offices.
Evoking the region’s natural geology and topography, the design feels inherently connected to and of its place. Warm, pink cream brick references nearby sand dunes and beaches, whilst internal timber columns speak to the island’s jetties and pier structures.
The building creates a dynamic and interactive destination that is set to become a source of civic pride. Bringing together the cultural and social aspirations of the community, it draws visitors to showcase the region’s rich history and culture.
Designed to Passivhaus Standards and incorporating mass timber construction, the Centre expands and diversifies existing community programs and services and creates a place for people to meet and connect.
The William Wardell Award for Public Architecture
Berninneit Cultural and Community Centre is a beautifully crafted evocation of its context and an inviting focus for arts and culture on Philip Island. A dynamic spatial fluidity links an auditorium, multi-purpose spaces, library, gallery, museum, meeting rooms and council offices around retained mature eucalypts forming a community courtyard. The seemingly water-coloured washed brick clad form cleverly consolidates this broad brief into a singular, elemental composition, combining two storey, single storey and auditorium into an undulating interpretation of the region’s natural geology and topography.
Stepping through this outer shell reveals a tranquil and welcoming two-storey hospitality space rhythmically ordered by a laminated mountain ash colonnade and lined with spotted gum flooring and warm, blackbutt-faced walling. Sustainability is demonstrated through the low energy, low carbon, thermally efficient Passivhaus envelope which significantly reduces operational energy consumption. Sustainable materials are locally sourced including carbon-neutral bricks from Wollert and Gippsland grown hardwood, further reducing the carbon footprint.
Berninneit Cultural and Community Centre is the jury’s unanimous choice for Victoria’s highest accolade in the public category, the William Wardell Award for Public Architecture for its holistic composition of a community’s diverse cultural program into an extraordinarily well crafted and delightful place for gathering.
The redesign has profoundly enriched the community by fostering robust, safe, and inclusive communities that strengthen social bonds. It has created a constructive environment for youth, offering spaces for connection, study, and community involvement.
This initiative significantly boosts the local economy while improving overall community value. The incorporation of theatre programs not only promotes health and happiness but also instils a sense of pride.
The redevelopment has successfully brought people together, providing opportunities for interaction, inclusivity, and community learning. In essence, the multifaceted design positively impacts our daily lives, emphasising the importance of communal well-being and unity.
Graham Burrows, Design Director
James Stewart, Project Architect
Thomas McCarthy, Interior Designer
Julie Rabaud, Architectural Designer
Danielle Pacella, Project Architect
Simon Topliss, Project Director
Nick Rosati, Architectural Designer
Ben Pitman, Architectural Designer
Richie Machuca, Interior Designer
WGA, Structural and Civil Engineer
ADP, Services Engineer & Acoustics
Inhabit Group, ESD, Façade Engineer, and PassiveHaus Consultant
Setting Line, Theatre Specialist
Site Office, Landscape Consultan
Latitude, Signage and Wayfinding
Scifire, Fire Engineer
du Chateau Chun, Accessibility & Consulting Building Surveyor
BSGM, Building Surveyor
Traffix, Traffic Engineer
Slattery, Quantity Surveyor
Greenwood, Arborist
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
