A collaboration between SGKS ARCH and Coree Thorpe
We had the pleasure of partnering with Coree Thorpe, a Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara, Gunai, Wurundjeri artist based in Melbourne, and a team of advisors to develop a concept for the adaptive reuse of a Thornbury site into a mixed-use commercial park. Our vision prioritises creativity and cultural engagement while remaining responsive to stakeholder requirements.
The proposal features a three-dimensional artistic treatment of the facade and its surroundings, inspired by the land’s contours and the river that once shaped it. In collaboration with Coree, his artwork was projected onto the facade, creating a distinctive visual language that envelops the building. At the main entrance, a secondary placeholder piece conveys strength and sets the tone for future artistic partnerships.
Alongside 28 creative warehouses, we have introduced spaces for public engagement, including a dance studio and café. The studio occupies a prominent corner, overlooking Australian native landscaping, and features a fabric ceiling derived from Coree’s design. This sculptural element serves acoustic and aesthetic purposes, filtering light through its curves to create a dynamic interior experience.
Materiality is deliberately restrained. A monochromatic concrete palette allows the building to settle into its context, while accent elements such as blue-framed windows and metallic detailing reference the compressed river, offering moments of relief and narrative depth.
Although all artworks remain placeholders at this stage, they demonstrate the transformative potential of collaboration. This project challenges the conventional notion of a commercial park, positioning it as a place of congregation and cultural exchange.
Below is an article from the Herald Sun that explores the site’s layered history, its significance prior to colonisation, its role over the past century as an Italian social club, and now its potential to evolve into a community hub that gives back to the local area.
