The programmatic requirements for the community centre in
Hintonburg asked to support the aging population and refugees. To create an
uplifting experience for both groups, the design creates a series of playful
spatial relationships. 

The 130 year old Magee house is reconstructed after the building’s structural collapse in
2018 to create a new façade that blends the site’s history with the new intervention.
The ground floor is transparent to welcome visitors into the building with a view
of the sunken community garden. The glass wall enclosing the coffee shop slides
open to encourage a dynamic interaction with the public at street level. The
roof terrace creates a gathering space where visitors can overlook the exciting
public life of Hintonburg’s main street while smelling the flowers. The spiralling path through the community garden across the street invites a range of social experiences from jogging, sitting, resting, and walking.