Old Crookwell Firestation - Thrive Medical Centre 2020
The owner purchased the vacant and dilapidated 1920’s combined fire and ambulance station with a crumbling art deco rubble-crete facade wth a view to creating a general medical practice and commercial suite to service the town of Crookwell and its rural catchment. The complexities of the site included the cool temperate weather of climate zone 7, where snow is common. The sloping site exacerbated competing requirements of accessibility and shedding of stormwater to the street. The power grid at site prone to dropping out, putting temperature sensitive medical supplies at risk.
The building is now repurposed as a commercial development including a suite of General Practice rooms. The practice is designed in line with the GP management toolkit published by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The surgery is divided into east and west wings, accessed from a central hallway with rear access from parking at the rear. The east wing of the surgery comprises a generous lofty foyer & reception, manager’s office, accessible bathroom & nurses rooms. The western wing includes a children’s area adjacent the foyer, allied health, staff room, ambulant WC and 2 General Practice rooms. The proposal includes the retention of the original art deco façade, and creation of a courtyard space separating the GP practice from a commercial tenancy whilst acting as a common entry point.
The project secures the valuable heritage asset of the iconic facade for future generations in a successful adaptation of the 1920’s building, which now provides a state of the art general practice, allied health suites and nurses station. The building is fully accessible, provides high thermal performance, back up power via a solar array and battery. An all year covered courtyard with clerestory windows connecting the practice and the commercial tenancy with the street. Mackenzie Pronk worked with leading medical planning consultants to create a building with generous public, staff and consultation spaces each with natural light and ventilation and outlook to private gardens or discrete courtyards. The efficiency of the design has allowed the continued use of the building within strict covid 19 protocols.
