St Martins Community Centre

St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher

ST MARTINS COMMUNITY CENTRE

Plus Architecture

AREA
200.0 m2

LOCATION
Christchurch, New Zealan

CATEGORY
Community Center

PROJECT YEAR
2016

MANUFACTURERS
Halswell Timber, Midland Brick, Swinard Wooden Floors

CLIENT
Christchurch City Council

Text description provided by architect.

This new community centre, located in the heart of Christchurch, is an extremely important addition to the city. After two earthquakes, one in 2010, and another a year later in 2011, which claimed the original centre, this new building acts as an important healing device as much as a ‘new kid on the block’.

St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher
St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher

Approximately 200 square metres in area, the size of a traditional detached house (relatively modest by current standards), the new community centre could easily be mistaken for a home.

Plus Architecture’s design, which features a single storey with pitched roofs, was constructed partially with bricks recycled from houses in the area damaged during the earthquakes.

St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher
St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher

The arrangement of the recycled bricks also suggests the making of patchwork quilts, something that brings the community together, both for pleasure and in this case, also for healing.

Conceived as a home, but with a library, meeting rooms and other community facilities, there’s a strong sense of nurturing and domesticity.

St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher
St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher

The end result is less a statement - more a warm, friendly embrace.

As well as creating a low-slung building with intimate spaces, Plus Architecture also allowed the centre to breathe, with an open-air pavilion and apertures in the walls to provide fluid and interconnected spaces.

The centre’s walls also double as seating, as well as display cases and quiet nooks for reflection.

St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher
St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher

Private meeting rooms and thoughtfully curated spaces further create a domestic setting.

St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher
St Martins Community Centre
© Dennis Radermacher


St Martins Community Centre
North and East Elevation
St Martins Community Centre
South and West Elevation


St Martins Community Centre
Section
St Martins Community Centre
The Usable Wall Sketch


St Martins Community Centre
Site Response - Planning Scheme
St Martins Community Centre
Site Response - Footprints Scheme
St Martins Community Centre
Site Response - Inputs Scheme
St Martins Community Centre
Design Response - View Shafts Scheme


St Martins Community Centre
Floor Plan