Navigation
Corumbene Health Hub
History
What is now the Corumbene Health Hub was built in the late 1930's in New Norfolk as the Derwent and Esperence buildings of the Lachlan Park Hospital, which served as a mental asylum. Built out of solid brickwork, the facility cared for those least capable for many decades, before falling into disrepair after it was closed in 2000. Recently, the Corumbene Health Hub has undertaken the significant works necessary to restore the building to enable a number of health-based services to be collocated in the New Norfolk area.
Project
The facility had fallen into a state of substantial disrepair. Although the brick structure of the building was still sound, the walls had been covered with graffiti of varying calibre, fires had been lit internally damaging some of the timbers supporting the upper floor, and anything that could be broken had been broken.
Our Involvement
Collective has developed a distinct specialty in dealing with the renewal of heritage and other old structures. We were approached by the architects – Philp Lighton – to assist in the renovation process of these old buildings. While we undertook a design process up front, this sort of work requires ongoing design assistance throughout construction , as many of the issues that have to be dealt with are only discovered as the project progresses, and flaws in the structure are identified. As such, we continued to work with the architect, builder and client throughout the more than yearlong demolition and construction process, resolving issues on site and providing the necessary guidance to ensure a safe, long-lasting result.
The result
Corumbene Health Hub was opened early in 2024 and is now operating. The two old buildings have been bridged by a new, architecturally sensitive access space, and the old cells enlarged and refitted to serve a new generation of clients as consultation spaces and offices.
