THE St Albans Uniting Church has been nominated for a heritage prize at the 2013 Victorian Architecture Awards.
Winners of contest, run by the Australian Institute of Architects, will be announced on Friday 21 June.
The St Albans Uniting Church was designed by Harmer Architecture for a largely Filipino congregation.
The church building in East Esplanade is classified as a heritage site by Brimbank City Council, as a significant example of an “unusual early timber church which reflects the origins of St Albans as a turn-of-the century suburban development”.
Harmer Architecture has created an “adaptive re-use of the old church in conjunction with new extensions that respond to the materiality and scale of the old church”.
As the church’s congregation grew in recent years, they commissioned the firm to design a larger worship space, a fellowship space, foyer and a hall, together with car parking and a children’s playground.
The old church was moved closer to the south frontage of the site to accommodate the required new spaces and car parking.
The old church is now used for Sunday School, meetings and community uses.
It can be subdivided into three spaces with operable walls housed in two bright green wall units.
