This project acts as a strong, fort-like home for abused children.

Architects: m3architecture

Location: Townsville QLD, Australia

Architect In Charge: m3architecture

Project Year: 2014

Floor Plans

From the architect. This project acts as a strong, fort-like home for abused children.The Act for Kids project at James Cook University in Townsville looked to the context of architect James Birrell?s late 1960s foundation buildings found on the campus. Some of these in off-form concrete and grey face concrete blockwork, with simple geometries and plasticised forms.

In the public realm, these are fine qualities ? firmness with an overriding sense of delight. These were thought to be suitable qualities for the new building accommodating administration, day care and most importantly, a suite of therapy spaces.
The design is conceived as a concrete block perimeter, with therapy rooms in the inner sanctum, sculpted around two stands of trees, in response to the well documented benefit that landscape brings to therapy.

The new project takes Birrell?s approach in a new direction. His buildings are of a scale and gravitas suited to their role as major public buildings. The new project asks what a public realm agenda for children might be like ? and not ...