Walyalup Civic Centre

The design for Walyalup Civic Centre was the winner of an international competition.

The project site is in Fremantle adjacent to a public space, Walyalup Koort. The project includes council chambers, office space and a lending library. The architecture responds to the centre’s location and typology.

A continuous perforated-metal veil wraps the upper levels of the building providing shade, while operable windows and a large solar array mean the operation of the building can be carbon neutral.

The centre piece of the project is the sloping lawn, conceived as an extension of the adjacent public space, connecting into the building. Beneath it is the public library, which is naturally lit through east and west courtyards. The council chambers are situated at the top of the lawn in an elliptical stone volume with large apertures, ensuring that the democratic process is both visible and accessible to the public.

Images courtesy of Nicholas Putrasia and Patrick Kosky