
Photo: Peter Clarke
The new Cowes Cultural and Community Centre was the jury’s unanimous choice for what it described as “an extraordinarily well crafted and delightful place for gathering”.
The $32 million cultural centre is the most expensive project ever completed by Bass Coast Shire Council and had a decades-long genesis. After more than 30 years of discussion and many iterations, it finally opened last October with a month of community celebrations.
The jury’s citation described Berninneit as “a beautifully crafted evocation of its context and an inviting focus for arts and culture on Philip Island”.
“A dynamic spatial fluidity links an auditorium, multi-purpose spaces, library, gallery, museum, meeting rooms and council offices around retained mature eucalypts forming a community courtyard.
“The seemingly water-coloured washed brick clad form cleverly consolidates this broad brief into a singular, elemental composition, combining two storey, single storey and auditorium into an undulating interpretation of the region’s natural geology and topography. | ![]() A welcome for Berninneit May 14, 2024 - Tim Shannon discovers no grand statement but a fitting portrait of the Phillip Island community. |
“Sustainability is demonstrated through the low energy, low carbon, thermally efficient Passivhaus envelope which significantly reduces operational energy consumption. Sustainable materials are locally sourced including carbon-neutral bricks from Wollert and Gippsland grown hardwood, further reducing the carbon footprint.”