Located on a prominent corner opposite Canterbury Gardens, the Canterbury Baptist Church has been serving the community since 1891.

To support ongoing environmental and economic sustainability, an opportunity was identified to enhance the site through high quality, considered apartments and additional facilities for the Church congregation and local community. The proposed multipurpose hall is designed to reference the existing architecture of the Church, designed by prominent architect Keith Reid in 1962.

Strategically replacing a number of separate buildings and spaces surrounding the Church itself, the architectural form and materiality directly relate to the neighbourhood context of established residential streets. The development creates a new ‘village’, achieved by breaking the development down into a series of smaller elements at a sensitive scale, supported by multi-level basement parking.  

As the primary facade material, brick is used in a variety of tones and ways. This supports the ‘village’ concept, with a micro-identity established for each building.

In addition to a comprehensive landscape strategy, the project incorporates several ESD initiatives, including a rooftop solar PV system, cross-ventilation, rainwater harvesting, high performance glazing and bike parking.