adapting historic buildings for a new life...

Caleb Burke

Community Building - Building Community is a project that anticipates a hypothetical future for Redfern, where historic utilitarian buildings that have reached their natural end-of-life are repurposed as public facilities that will provide a framework for community-led construction. These are a community forum space adapted from an existing substation, and a trade school and building workshop adapted from the existing Redfern Telephone Exchange. Together, the facilities will serve as a springboard for future alterations and additions to buildings in the community. Each structure can be modified over time to suit the needs of their users rather than their profits. In this sense, no architect or external agent would be required, thus placing the complete agency of the buildings within the hands of their users.