Our collaborative project with Studio 23 design gave a fresh new home to the Salvation Army Parramatta in the form of a repurposed building with a dramatic redesign.  

When looking to relocate the Parramatta Corps, The Salvation Army followed their ethos of stewardship by purchasing an existing commercial building that had been earmarked as a development site. This project brief asked us to repurpose the existing building to house their new quarters. The resulting space comprises a 250-person Multipurpose Worship Hall, Function Centre, meeting spaces, dedicated Children’s Ministry suite, open plan administration office, reception area, commercial kitchen and ancillary facilities. 

A voluminous light-filled atrium, below a vaulted translucent roof, greets visitors as they enter the building. Informal gathering spaces are plentiful with a warm and inviting café/ waiting area on one side of the reception, and the worship hall lobby on the other side – which cleverly also serves as overflow viewing space during peak capacities. Within the Main Worship space, volume & impact have been provided by extending the floor space out onto the original terraces and removing the existing roof to create a new higher, folded roof form. High-level windows provide soft eastern & southern light, with subtly coloured glass providing a nod to the classic stained-glass window found in their previous worship space. The roof and ceilings fold to create a crescendo over the stage area, with suspended acoustic panels allowing concealment of the lighting & speakers. The final result is a bright, comfortable, functional, and adaptable multipurpose space that will allow the Salvation Army to continue serving the community for years to come.

Photography: Vashner Muhi - Reitsma