Powerhouse Place needed to make visitors part with their money - the state government investment was based on increasing economic opportunities through tourism. Council had assumed a ‘big box’ approach (also known as the Bilboa effect) - big buildings full of cafes, galleries and commercial spaces that would attract tourists. But in the depths of COVID lockdowns, those assumptions seemed out-of-date. Together with Council we wondered who had the energy, expertise and finances to run a big gallery or restaurant or shop? How would this kind of place offer opportunities to locals other than through employment? Together with champions from within Council’s placemaking team, we proposed that there was an alternative: a hyper-local approach that put people - their creativity, connections and celebrations on display in this special place. We proposed a way to reinvigorate regional towns that is rooted in co-creation, not consumption.

Council had applied for $8M in funding but received only $5.3M. This meant that throughout the 12 month design process we:

1. Subjected every asect of the design to relentless scrutiny: could it be smaller, cheaper, simpler? Is it delivering maximum bang-for-buck

2. Identified every possible opportunity for additional investment.  We were already re-using salvaged local resources so additional funding from Sustainability Victoria was a bonus. Our team identified how we could re-use and expand the existing powerhouse basement spaces to create an intimate black-box space and documented two different versions of the building whilst we waited to hear if the funding pitch for the basement spaces was successful (it was!)

All up - this project was made possible through 8 separate funding streams from all three levels of government. Whilst this was incredibly complex to manage and acquit - it demonstrates the momentum and potential that we uncovered during the design process.  

Whilst the powerhouse has an impressive history, imposing scale and beautiful textures it had a few challenges:

1. It was lonely: all of the other buildings and structures that helped it make sense as a turbine hall had long ago been dismantled.

2. It was undeniably made for machines. It was cold - all hard surfaces - a closed box and cavernous.

We saw an opportunity to reinstate the ‘ghost’ of the boilerhouse building - the powerhouse’s long lost companion - reinvented as a skeleton shade structure that could cast deep shade so desperately needed in this desert climate. By skinning the boilerhouse in the rusted roof sheeting salvaged from the powerhouse we anchored this ghost in history and gave it new life. We know what human bodies need to feel comfortable (hint - its different to what electrical turbines need!) so we focussed on shifting from industrial needs to sensory needs: the need for cosiness, the need to feel sheltered but able to watch people passing by. Rewarding the senses and creating spaces that people wanted to stay all day (and night!) was our focus and every shape, path of movement, material choice works hard for humans. Each of the new buildings that we designed (a cafe, a toilet block, a commercial kitchen) is small, rounded and carefully positioned to create little pockets of riverfront that feel homely, safe and connected.