The construction project for the Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct in Geelong, Australia started in mid-2020 and was delivered by BESIX Watpac in August 2022 on schedule, despite the challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Quintessential Equity in association with the City of Greater Geelong wanted a municipal district for the inhabitants of the city; the name Wurriki Nyal (WUU-ruh-kih nee-YAHL) comes from Wadawurrung, an indigenous Australian language meaning "Speak and Talk Together".
The state-of-the-art 2,550 square meter structure located at 137-149 Mercer Street in Geelong achieves green credentials with its environmentally friendly system of energy, water and waste disposal. Sustainability has indeed been a key feature of the project which has a 6-star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. The civic precinct building, designed in partnership with Cox Architecture, was made of a hybrid structural system using concrete and steel, as well as a five-tiered cross-laminated timber frame including a wall - fully glazed curtain and a window wall facade.
The new Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct has within it a carefully restored and healed tree of cultural significance, believed to predate European settlement of the Geelong area. It provides excellent pedestrian access from the north, direct access to the heart of the neighbourhood from the east, opens connections from the south to City Hall, as well as access from the west along Mercer Street to excellent connections to Geelong Station.
Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan declared: “The Council’s new headquarters delivers on the aspirations of the community. I encourage community members to book a guided tour to learn about Wurriki Nyal’s cultural and sustainability features and how the community and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners helped shape the building. Wurriki Nyal is a significant council investment in Greater Geelong and will serve the community for decades to come.”
The public space and parallel customer service area which will create nearly 900 local jobs, is located downtown and consolidates all public services in one location to help the community more easily access city services from Geelong. The architectural jewel, which has already won the Excellence in Health & Safety Master Builders (Victoria) Awards 2022, will showcase an open day on February 28, to allow the community to familiarise themselves with its new public space.
You want to know more about this magnificent project? Then watch this amazing video!
(All pictures above: City of Greater Geelong)
