Bunjil Place is a $125 million multipurpose arts, civic and community facility in the outer Melbourne suburb of Narre Warren, housing a library, 800-seat theatre, gathering and meeting spaces, council offices, an art gallery, a flexible event space and an outdoor plaza. The facility is the first of its kind, bringing together creativity, entertainment and community in a way that is unparalleled in Australia.
The multi award-winning building was designed by FJMT and inspired by Bunjil, a character in Aboriginal mythology who created the land, animals and people. Bunjil placed a huge sense of importance on sustainability, encouraging the preservation of the environment, a point which trickled into the choices that were made in terms of the building’s design and construction.
Sustainability was front of mind in the design of this building which utilises environmentally-friendly building materials and high performance façades to make the building as sustainable and energy efficient as possible. One of the building’s most striking features is its curved roof, a complex and ambitious architectural design. Mythology recounts that Bunjil morphed into an eagle to watch over his people, and two large wooden features, descending from the roof, resemble his wings.