Neighbourhood Centre

Brisbane-based architectural practice Vokes and Peters is renowned for creating homely, private spaces in picturesque residential suburbs and cultural and commercial projects that incorporate nature and authentic narratives.

This mix of residential expertise, cultural influence and human experience are the perfect combination for creating the vision of Kinma Valley’s Neighbourhood Centre.

Occupying an elevated position looking over expansive pine trees, Kinma Valley’s future Neighbourhood Centre features a unique urban design ethos that is all about creating a sense of belonging and community.

Restoring an existing house that currently stands on the land, the building will initially be used as the Sales and Information Centre before being transformed into a community meeting space for neighbours to meet, have a coffee, buy their groceries and peruse the shops.

Vokes and Peters Director Stuart Vokes said the building’s remarkable scale and positioning strongly influenced the design of the Neighbourhood Centre.

“The house is up on an elevated position on the ridge line, looking north over a remnant pine forest in the distance. The bones of the building and the scale of it is remarkable,” said Stuart.

“Over the last 18 years, Vokes and Peters have been heavily involved in conservation work in the inner city of Brisbane and a lot of our thinking is around adaptation, careful reuse and studying cultural significance. What emerges is an architectural language which uniquely belongs to the place it sits in. The language we’re bringing to Kinma Valley is consistent with its values as a place which espouses wellbeing, healthy living and connection to nature and community.”

Vokes and Peters’ approach to urban design is all about creating experiences that make life better for residents while enabling them to make the most of their surroundings.

“When I was growing up, the streets were like an extension of my backyard. Kinma Valley will prove that residents and their kids can have that sort of freedom again. It’s designed to be a place that will give you a sense of belonging and community with lively, civic spaces embellished by natural surroundings,” said Stuart.

“What I enjoyed most about collaborating on this project with Urbis and Lendlease is that they’ve been ambitious, forward-thinking and most importantly, their thinking is human-centric. It’s about espousing a culture of care, being authentic and caring about the place we’re developing, because these are the places that people will call home.”

Click here to read more news and meet the other co-creators behind Kinma Valley.