Hills Shire Council has given approval to Plus Architecture’s reworked design for the future McCall Community Hub, based in Box Hill.
Designed by the practice for the McCall Gardens Community Foundation, Plus has endeavoured to create an inclusive, accessible facility that prioritises wellbeing above all. The project centres around three heritage-listed buildings, each with its own typology and narrative, that are in need of improvement.
The Hub first opened in 1958 and was the first of its kind in NSW. $35 million has been allocated towards its revitalisation, with Plus acknowledging its heritage and history, while also ensuring people with disability are empowered to overcome segregation and stigma.
The project forms part of the wider Box Hill Master Plan, which will revitalise the north-west suburb. Plus Architecture Principal Gabriel Duque likens the Hub to a “community beacon”.
“The backbone of the updated DA is about creating a new way forward of providing care for people with special needs, through better integration with the local community and finding ways to overcome stigma through design,” he says.
“We went through the process of essentially re-establishing the aspirational and the functional briefing requirements of the Hub, trying to ensure that we stayed within the original footprint of the original DA while celebrating the site assets and fine-tuning the design to be more accessible, and inserting more opportunities where people are able to come together.”
Deep research has birthed the design response created by Plus and its project partners. Carefully considered textural palette and tactile features will assist in providing an inviting and functional space to support people with disability. Improved wayfinding will assist visitors, with implementations such as gently curving walls and sensitive lighting design to foster movement and connection. A sensory garden, user-friendly landscaping, and an enhanced entry will further encourage a welcoming and inclusive environment.
“With over 1.3 million people living with disability in NSW, it is critical that services and facilities provided across our communities afford all people the dignity, respect and inclusivity they deserve,” says McCall CEO Belinda Colombrita.
“The McCall Community Hub is part of our fight for greater inclusivity and equity. It aims to bring the community together and celebrate a sense of place. It turns what was a very ‘inward’ community environment into an ‘outward’ and inviting gesture – ensuring that the McCall Community Hub can enjoy an enduring legacy and serve the community for many years to come.”
A café, multi-purpose rooms for community use, playground facilities for families and children, and a swimming pool accommodating up to 1500 children per week for swimming school will also be integrated onsite.
Construction is now due to commence in May, with an eye towards opening in late 2025. For more information, click here.
