The ground works for the City of South Perth’s new Manning Community Hub are now well underway and the facility is set to be a vibrant gathering point. The $14 million civic project has been designed for the local landscape and will provide public and community space and facilities, an underground car park for 80 cars and sustainable design elements.
Pivotal in the design is the new pedestrian street that will connect the buildings and link them to the local reserve and shopping district.
Central to the development is the new Manning Library – a social and learning hub for the broader South Perth community. With north facing windows, an external reading room and an entrance from the central pedestrian street, the library is the crux of the development and will provide a welcoming space for a variety of community activities.
Overlooking the oval, the library will also provide vistas and natural light, as well as passive surveillance and security for the area.
At the core of the Manning Library building design are its green credentials for both passive and active sustainability systems which include large community functional areas designed to disperse northern light in winter, and automatic opening highlight windows to allow for natural ventilation when conditions permit.
Thermally dynamic low e-glazing window treatments are to be used in combination with sun shading to reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.
30kw solar panels will provide offset power and solar boosted hot water will further minimise energy demands.
Low energy LED lights connected to light dimming and movement sensors will allow for reduction in artificial lighting demands when sufficient daylight is available.
Low maintenance materials are incorporated to minimise the City’s ongoing maintenance demands.
Overall, the Manning Community Hub will be a community centre creating a new village ‘heart’ in the City of South Perth, combining shopping, sport, health, education, socialisation and community needs.
Located at the new facility will be the Manning Library, Manning Hall, Moorditj Keila Aboriginal Group, Manning Child Health Clinic, an Early Learning Centre and the Manning Rippers Football Clubrooms.
Construction of the Manning Community Hub Facility commenced in June 2015 and is expected to be completed at the end of 2016.
