Nestled in the hillside surrounded by parkland, the new Pascoe Vale Community Centre is a colourful reminder of the diverse community it serves. Moreland City Council teamed up with K2LD Architects to design a new space that would support the organisation and its services, while encouraging the expansion of their programs through thoughtful design.

Irene Giavas, the council’s Project Manager and Lead Architect, said the vision for the new building was all about creating a vibrant, diverse space; offset by its natural surroundings. “We wanted the community to be involved in how the building should look and feel. They wanted space and light, and to be connected to nature,” says Irene. “These combined elements created a lively, playful design with colour and light, that still has connections to the natural environment around it. The vivid colour palette can evoke emotional responses, and people feel they can connect more with the space,” continues Irene.

Mal Bas, Lead Architect at K2LD, commented on how Cemintel’s Barestone was instrumental in bringing this vision to life. “The design process was heavily influenced by the exploration of colour, to represent the complex and diverse community the facility supports. When the centre opens its doors, it shouts colours to the whole community,” says Mal. “A natural, organic looking material was needed to balance the strong colour elements in the design. Cemintel Barestone has a beautiful stone finish with warm tones, providing contrast without dominating the design,” adds Mal.

K2LD designed the building to be playful and inviting. The architectural benefit of using Barestone is its ability to be cut to size onsite, giving total design flexibility. “When you look at the building you can see the panel sizing is quite organically broken up. It was a complex but worthwhile process that really added to the aesthetic of the overall design,” says Mal. “The combination of different sized cladding panels gave us the ability to transform the composition of the facade and break up the rigidity of the space,” continues Mal.

Public facilities play an important role in supporting communities, so choosing sustainable, durable materials that can stand the test of time was at the forefront of the design process. Barestone has a natural, contemporary finish that doesn’t require painting. It weathers naturally over time, cementing the building’s legacy in the community for many generations to come.

“We’re really happy with the design and the way the Barestone enhances the space. It’s such an incredible community building, and its design ensures it will remain timeless, elegant and stylish for years to come,” concludes Irene.