Completed in April 2016, the Providence Neighbourhood Centre is situated in the heart of the Ripley Valley, surrounded by parklands with views to mountain ranges beyond. The Providence Centre will function as the towns Community Centre – and includes generous public and private Community Rooms, Gallery Spaces, Media Room as well as Forty West café.

The building’s open plan design allows spaces to be either public or private, with considered selection and placement of folding doors and walls which can be opened or closed to create a variety of room sizes. Generous shaded timber decks cantilever toward the Splash ‘n’ Play parklands.

The building design draws inspiration from the existing context and features a natural vs. industrial material palette. A balance of raw and modern textures such as brick, timber and exposed metal structure give the building a relatable personality. Generous roof cantilevers provide shading to the café and entertainment deck, while high level roofing and skylights allows natural lighting to flow through the building. Views toward the Ripley Valley and surrounds are maximised through the building’s open plan design with full height windows where possible throughout. Design for future-use was core to the design with considered placement and selection of structural elements and materials.