St Patricks Parish: a Spiritual Space Reimagined
Build Date
September 2023
Client
Catholic Diocese of Sale
Location
Pakenham, Victoria
Architect / Designer
Branch Studio Architects
Value
$2.6M
Thoughtful design and masterful execution transformed a dark, run-down parish hall in Pakenham into an architecturally and spiritually significant space for the Catholic Diocese of Sale.
The outcome is a model of what can be achieved under constraints, as the original plan for a complete knockdown-rebuild was beyond the client’s budget. What emerged was a resourceful and inspired renovation and extension, which created a building that feels entirely new. The space was not simply custom-built but recrafted.
The updated design retained the original building’s structural bones but recreated almost every other element. Only the connection between the chapel and the parish hall was demolished. Across the rest of the building, the brickwork, floor and steel structure remained.
The existing brickwork created challenges as parts were crumbling and had to be carefully rebuilt. The team salvaged as many original bricks as possible. They were blended with new bricks of similar shape and colour, under a light, earthy sand and cement bagging to unify the façade. The combination of sandbagged brick with Victorian Ash and Silver Top Ash timbers creates an older, more natural look that is comforting in a spiritual place of reflection and worship.
The interior of the parish hall and chapel is all about light and volume.
Low ceilings were removed to create a soaring, curved ceiling that dramatically opens the main worship space. This vast expanse, finished to an immaculate Level 5 standard to eliminate any imperfections, is washed with natural light from a full-length skylight.
For comparison, a standard house is plastered to a Level 3, but for such a large expanse, drenched with natural lighting, the next level of perfection was required. From the base coat and two top coats of a Level 3 plaster, an additional two top coats are rolled on and sanded back until all noticeable bumps and imperfections are gone.
This detail demanded time, the highest attention to detail, and the greatest plastering skills to retain the look of perfection in such unforgiving light.
The space is enriched with bespoke details that confirm its sacred purpose. These include a magnificent stained-glass window set within a GFRC frame, which was poured in a mould and lifted into position before being glazed onsite. A large section of wall was cut out and rebricked to fit the window.
An existing nine-meter steel cross was clad in shimmering copper to create an outstanding feature. And sanctuary furniture crafted from solid blocks of Victorian bluestone required skill and craftsmanship to create their impactful look. These pews were lifted in as solid 200kg blocks and cut on-site to create perfectly straight aisle lines. There is even an internal water feature, also built on site.
Not without its surprises, asbestos was discovered underneath the slab when the connecting structure was demolished between the parish hall and the chapel. The site had to be closed so the correct removal process could be conducted.
This is a really satisfying build to look back on for MDC Building Group, because the process was interesting, a large amount of strategic, technical work was required, along with a lot of detailing and craftsmanship. The result is a great functional and aesthetic outcome for everyone. The build shows a range of construction skills and craftsmanship, and looks outstanding.
For the client, MDC Building Group delivered an amazing building and created a space that far exceeded what they believed possible. A modern building touched with ornate details and standout features that is a beautiful and enduring spiritual home for their community.
