Bulleen Pre School pro bono project - finally an update!

Some time has passed since we called for expressions of interest to provide pro bono design services for the Bulleen Pre School (BPS) some months ago. A lot has happened behind the scenes since then – and we thought we'd share a bit of the action with you.

As we mentioned back in July, the pre school was hoping to apply for funds from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to extend its premises, so as to accommodate more children and improve its service to the local community. Two days before our call for service providers closed, the funding application deadline was announced. Surprise! Instead of the anticipated 6 months to prepare an application (based on the time frame allowed for the previous funding round), there was going to be 6 weeks! Architect Ajith Kuruvilla (Gray Space Architects) had submitted an EOI and, with extensive experience in schools, looked like a perfect match, but we weren't sure how he would take the news about the time frame. To our relief, Ajith was relatively unfazed. It was decided to form a design team, led by Ajith (being a registered architect), with Kamil Muhammad (interior designer and a4p member) and Paul Cooksey (architect) undertaking design and documentation.

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Call for Expressions of Interest - Addition and Refurbishment to Bulleen Pre-School

IMPORTANT UPDATE! The Bulleen Pre-School has recently advised us that the grant application guidelines have just been released. Applications close significantly earlier this year than in 2009 - on Thursday 9 September 2010. This means design services are required URGENTLY. We ask that you please take the time frame required to complete the design into account if you are considering applying for this project. Please send your application and/or any queries to eleanor@architectsforpeace.org by this Friday 6 August.

Expressions of Interest are invited from members of Architects for Peace for the design and documentation of an addition and refurbishment to the Bulleen Pre-School, on a pro bono basis. The pre-school is a not-for-profit, progressive kindergarten offering structured programs to eighty-five children of 3 and 4 years old in the Reggio Emilia philosophy, an education philosophy that encourages children to discover themselves by exploring nature, material and friendships.

The pre-school is seeking to improve its service to the local community by accommodating a higher number of children and providing extended hours of services for the children, in line with the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreement made in 2009 which states that all Australian children should have access to 15 hours of a pre-school program in the year prior to starting primary school. An addition to the existing premises is required to facilitate this expansion of services. The current facilities consist of a single storey brick veneer building, with one play room, a staff room, store room, toilets and kitchen and the extension will primarily include an additional play room. A more detailed design brief can be downloaded from here.

The pre-School Management Committee plans to apply for a grant of $200,000 from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). This grant has been made available by the DEECD to facilitate pre-school operators to provide ‘Universal Access to 15 hours of Early Childhood Education’. Submissions of concept drawings, written quotations and a cost plan are required to accompany this grant application.

Please email expressions of interest and CV detailing relevant project experience to Eleanor at eleanor@architectsforpeace.org or Pauline at probono@architectsforpeace.org before Friday 6th August.

The Architects For Peace pro bono policy, with important information for prospective service providers regarding the way the pro bono service works and the selection process involved, is available for download here. Please make sure you read over this document before submitting your expression of interest.

Pro bono project published in Green magazine

A client/architect match made by the arch peace pro bono service has popped up in quarterly magazine green (sustainable architecture and design).

The Bird Hide project in Westgate park was designed by MAKE Architecture Studio for the Friends of Westgate Park, after an initial design studio at RMIT to generate ideas, and was presented at words @bld50 in 2008.

Mel Bright (director of MAKE) tells us that they are currently obtaining structural engineering drawings to complete the construction drawing set and has been researching recycled plastics as an alternative to timber. We look forward to seeing what's next for MAKE and the Bird Hide!

...read the article here

Laverton Community Centre + Neighbourhood House - Works complete!

We are very excited to report that an Architects for Peace pro bono project has recently been completed!

We were approached in 2010 by the Laverton Community Centre and Neighbourhood House, a not for profit group managed by the local community, that was operating from cramped and inadequate premises and in need of design services and funding for refurbishment. After advertising the project, we successfully matched architect Brad Hooper and interior designer Brooke Thorne with the LCCNH.

Brad and Brooke worked collaboratively to prepare a schematic design for refurbishment works to the facility. This work was instrumental in enabling the LCCNH to secure funding for construction. Planning and building permits were obtained early this year and the client acted as owner-builder to carry out the works.

All of us at Architects for Peace extend our thanks and congratulations to the two dedicated pro bono service providers who made this project happen!

Stay tuned for images of the completed works...

Asylum Seekers Resource Centre - Architect Appointed

We are pleased to announce that Kendall Strong Architects have been engaged to provide pro bono services for the ASRC for their project to upgrade the Melbourne headquarters.

Kendall Strong Architects is a young dynamic practice with experience in commercial projects and a focus on social justice and environmental architecture.

Briefing and measure-up have been completed

and we look forward to seeing the exciting

Sketch Design outcomes shortly.

Thank you Kendall & Fernando for your enthusiasm!

East Timor Weaving Centres - Sketch Design completed

The Sketch Design of this project has now been completed.

Architects for Peace has received 2 design proposals and they are now exhibited online. To view them, just click on their names below.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation and say thank you for the effort and excellent work from our service providers ,

Webb+ Architects and Greg Burgess Architects.

Asylum Seekers Resource Centre - CALLS FOR EOIs

Asylum Seekers Resource Centre (ASRC) is Australia’s largest provider of crucial services to asylum seekers. It is a not-for-profit organisation, which offers innovative and vital services broadly defined under four themes: aid, empowerment, justice and community. Health services, food-bank, educational programs and legal representation are a few of the 20 programs currently underway.

ASRC generates 94% of their funding via donation and philanthropy, and they have $20 000 available to pay for an urgently needed refurbishment; the need to build 4 additional rooms for their health, employment and casework services within the existing multifunctional three level headquarters.

The available space is currently used as a waiting area - an internalised zone of the ground floor. The aim is to efficiently use the existing area, provide acoustic privacy and maintain the light, cheery and non-threatening atmosphere that currently defines the space. Subject to cost, there is also the opportunity to redefine the Community Engagement Program workspace, and reconfigure the existing Entry, Reception, Social Enterprise Store and Storage area to further improve the overall use of the space.

ASRC is looking for an enthusiastic designer to provide services, including; design proposal, documentation and advice during construction. The budget is $20 000. Their pre-determined builder has provided preliminary costings. Timeline: ASAP! The 4 additional rooms are required urgently. The aim is for construction to commence within the next 3 months.

Please email expressions of interest and CV detailing relevant project experience to Lisa at probono@architectsforpeace.org

The Architects For Peace pro pono policy, with important information for service providers regarding the way the pro bono service works and the selection process involved, is available for download here.

List of Probono Projects

	Project	Contact	Service Provider	Status	Year
	Fiztroy Learning Network	Pauline	Nick Bamford	Construction completed	2010
	Bulleen Preschool	Pauline / Eleanor	EOI coming soon	Project concluded	2010
	Asylum Seeker Resource Centre	Lisa	Kendall Strong Architects	Schematic Design completed	2010
	East Timor Neighborhood House	Eleanor	to be selected	Project on hold	2009
	East Timor Weaving Centres	Edith	Webb+ Architects and Greg Burgess Architects	Schematic Design Completed	2009-10
	Laverton Community Centre and Neighborhood House	Probono team	Brad Hooper Architect	Construction Completed	2009
	South Sudan Education Aid	Kali	James Stewart and Anissa Webb	Schematic design completed	2008
	Bird Hide at Westgate Park	Kali & Eleanor	MAKE Architects	Construction documentation underway	2008

To find out about more about our services and to view our Probono Policy document, click here or email us.