Yalukit Willam or the Boon Wurrung
Victoria
Melbourne’s Theatre Works, one of Australia’s longest-running independent theatres, has been revitalised through a purpose-built redevelopment led by Nelson + Koo, strengthening its capacity to deliver high-quality productions and embed artistic practice into daily life. Supported by Creative Victoria, the $750,000 project delivered integrated rehearsal, backstage, and BoH facilities, replacing outdated amenities and creating a fully accessible site for the first time in its 45-year history.
Set within the state-significant Christ Church Complex in St Kilda, the building responds to heritage cues while asserting a contemporary civic identity. The redevelopment has transformed operations, increased production quality, reduced costs, and created public-facing spaces that enhance creative daily life, proving thoughtful design on a modest budget can deliver enduring cultural and community impact.
The Theatre Works redevelopment has fundamentally transformed how independent theatre is made.
For the first time in our 45-year history, artists can rehearse, design, build and perform in one integrated site. Productions move directly from the rehearsal studio into the theatre, improving production values, technical precision and performance quality. The new green room and backstage spaces support casts of up to 20 performers, enabling larger, more ambitious works. Wheelchair-accessible rehearsal and performance areas have removed long-standing barriers for artists with disability. Critically, rehearsal facilities have eliminated external hire costs, delivering significant ongoing savings and long-term financial sustainability for the company.
Takasumi Inoue, Project Architect
Sabrine Koo, Design Architect
Tom Sheehan, Graduate of Architecture
Tom Nelson, Design Architect
Harry Bayliss, Construction Manager
Mark Riley, Construction Manager
Jason Wong, Construction Manager
Ross McEwan, Structural Engineer
Laurent Deleu, Services Consultant
Luke Shadmand, Services Consultant
William Maiwald, Electrical Consultant
Hugh McGaw, Architectural Specification
Joe Barbalaco, Building Surveyor
Arthur Andronas, Heritage Consultant
Radhika Gupta, ESD Consultant
Mollie Purvis, Access Consultant
Nick Morris, Access Consultant