Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi & Wailwan
New South Wales
Regional
The Gilgandra Library + Community Hub demonstrates how strategic urban design can revitalise regional town centres through integrated civic infrastructure. This transformative project combines adaptive reuse of a former Target Country building with a reimagined public plaza to create Gilgandra's first true civic heart. The library accommodates ambitious community programming from youth robotics to business incubation, while the adjacent plaza establishes a green corridor connecting Miller Street's heritage precinct to the Castlereagh River. Native landscaping provides flood-resilient stormwater management while creating flexible event and gathering spaces. The coordinated building and landscape strategy addresses multiple urban challenges simultaneously, inadequate civic facilities, lack of public space, and disconnection between the commercial centre and natural systems. This integrated approach maximises community value while establishing a replicable model for heritage-sensitive town centre regeneration that strengthens both built fabric and community capacity.
Award for Sustainable Architecture
The Gilgandra Library + Community Hub is a strategic urban regeneration project that creates a new civic heart for Gilgandra by combining adaptive reuse of a former commercial building with a redesigned public plaza – converting an existing building and carpark into a vibrant community precinct. The new library and plaza forms a much-needed town square that supports ambitious community programming and provides a generous and inclusive public gathering space. The plaza establishes a vital link from the town’s main street to the river, improving visual and physical connections between the commercial centre and natural systems.
Native, flood-resilient landscaping functions as water-sensitive green infrastructure, managing stormwater and enabling flexible events. The design responds to multiple deficits at once, including inadequate civic facilities, limited public space, and disconnection from the river. Through coordinated planning, landscape, heritage, and engineering, the project carefully considers economic, social and environmental sustainability and is an exemplar of sensitive and intelligent regional revitalisation.
Award for Sustainable Architecture
Gilgandra Library + Community Hub is a thoughtful adaptive reuse of an existing building. It has delivered exceptional value, extending the building’s life, and providing much needed contemporary civic facilities. Intelligent investment in flood resilience and flexible programming ensures its long-term economic viability. The building’s plaza creates a lively central, street-hub and a missing civic anchor for Gilgandra. It is a place for learning, gathering, economic development, and cultural expression, maximising public benefit whilst minimising additional investment. Â
The new library is an all-electric public building incorporating solar panels, high levels of insulation, stack-effect passive cooling, long-lasting, low-maintenance hardwood timber doors and windows, and carefully placed shading to create warm winter spaces and minimise solar gain. The project exemplifies sustainable civic infrastructure, retaining embodied energy through adaptive reuse while creating a dynamic community asset. It strengthens Gilgandra’s cultural and economic capacity for future generations and supports community aspirations while building long-term municipal capacity for diverse programming and community leadership.Â
Sustainability shortlist
Award for Sustainable Architecture
The Gilgandra Library + Community Hub is a strategic urban regeneration project that creates a new civic heart for Gilgandra by combining adaptive reuse of a former commercial building with a redesigned public plaza – converting an existing building and carpark into a vibrant community precinct. The new library and plaza forms a much-needed town square that supports ambitious community programming and provides a generous and inclusive public gathering space. The plaza establishes a vital link from the town’s main street to the river, improving visual and physical connections between the commercial centre and natural systems.
Native, flood-resilient landscaping functions as water-sensitive green infrastructure, managing stormwater and enabling flexible events. The design responds to multiple deficits at once, including inadequate civic facilities, limited public space, and disconnection from the river. Through coordinated planning, landscape, heritage, and engineering, the project carefully considers economic, social and environmental sustainability and is an exemplar of sensitive and intelligent regional revitalisation.
Award for Sustainable Architecture
Gilgandra Library + Community Hub is a thoughtful adaptive reuse of an existing building. It has delivered exceptional value, extending the building’s life, and providing much needed contemporary civic facilities. Intelligent investment in flood resilience and flexible programming ensures its long-term economic viability. The building’s plaza creates a lively central, street-hub and a missing civic anchor for Gilgandra. It is a place for learning, gathering, economic development, and cultural expression, maximising public benefit whilst minimising additional investment. Â
The new library is an all-electric public building incorporating solar panels, high levels of insulation, stack-effect passive cooling, long-lasting, low-maintenance hardwood timber doors and windows, and carefully placed shading to create warm winter spaces and minimise solar gain. The project exemplifies sustainable civic infrastructure, retaining embodied energy through adaptive reuse while creating a dynamic community asset. It strengthens Gilgandra’s cultural and economic capacity for future generations and supports community aspirations while building long-term municipal capacity for diverse programming and community leadership.Â
The Gil Library Hub’s design welcomes natural light and frames serene riverbank views. The Miller Street frontage, with expansive art deco windows and built-in seating, invites reading and reflection. Flexible interiors accommodate diverse events, and the children’s area opens to a safe courtyard for play. Durable finishes and quality materials combine with a soaring roofline enhancing calm and spaciousness. The staff value the clever storage solutions. Outdoor areas suit both large and small gatherings, making the plaza a lively main street hub. Overall, the Gil Library Hub is a functional, inspiring, and community-focused space fostering connection, learning, and pride.
Ashley Dunn, Design Architect
Lee Hillam, Design Architect
Jonathan Temple, Project Architect
Geremy Yip, Graduate of Architecture
Sophie Canaris, Project Architect
Stephanie Chiu, Graduate of Architecture
John Carrick, Structural Engineer
Somewhere Landscape Architects, Landscape Consultant
SJB, Town Planner
Altus Group, Quantity Surveyor
DC Partnership, BCA, Access & Fire Consultant
Mantis Engineering, Facade Engineer