While census data provides a broad overview of suburban areas, it often misses the real-life experiences and cultural richness of local communities. Though this article begins with such statistical information, understanding Windale's history is crucial to fully appreciating the civic and architectural importance of this dynamic, forward-looking community hub.
Situated in the northeastern corner of the Lake Macquarie City Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia, Windale has repeatedly been identified in SEIFA (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas) census data as the most socio-economically disadvantaged postal code in New South Wales over the past two decades. According to the Lake Macquarie City Council's area plan, Windale has several challenges compared to the regional average: a higher percentage of public housing, elevated unemployment rates, lower median household income, fewer cars per household, and more residents requiring assistance.
Historically, Windale has been overlooked when it comes to investment and community support. Located on Lake Street at the end of a small shopping area, the neighborhood consists mainly of modest fiber-cement cottages on large lots. This housing style reflects the Housing Commission of NSW's post-war acquisition of much of the suburb in 1949 to build public housing developments.
The original site housed a small community hall built in 1928 – a simple weatherboard building featuring twin gables and a narrow front porch facing the street. While local residents took good care of the facility, it no longer met all of the community's growing needs.
The ambitious project brief for the new hub called for an extensive range of facilities: a large community hall, public library, maker space, professional recording studio, meeting rooms, exhibition areas, café, and commercial kitchen. This comprehensive program was developed through extensive community consultation, ensuring the facility would respond to local needs and community aspirations.
Adriano Pupilli Architects developed a design strategy centered around an internal street concept that connects the facility's key areas. This pathway links Lake Street with rear parking while gracefully handling the significant elevation changes across the site. Dark brick paving serves as a tactile reminder of the civic quality of this design approach.
The public library flanks this pathway and has been reimagined as a community living room. Rather than using conventional rows of bookshelves, the shelving is positioned around the perimeter, lining both sides of a ramp that was necessary to navigate the site's slope. Working within budget constraints, the architects used timber flooring and shelving along the ramp selectively to add warmth and texture.
This creative approach addresses the fundamental question of what a modern library should be, providing an open and welcoming space with flexible seating, sofas, and built-in reading areas where people can feel comfortable and make the space their own. As architect Pupilli explains, whether someone needs access to a printer, a quiet workspace, or simply a comfortable place with garden views, these are amenities that many people may not have at home but can now access at the hub.
The building's Lake Street façade pays creative tribute to the original community hall's twin gables and front porch. A series of flowing peaks increase in scale along the building's length, respecting the surrounding suburban context while rising up to create a civic presence at the intersection with the neighborhood shopping street. In terms of scale and quality, this design establishes a standard that future buildings in this area might strive to achieve.
The building's façade creates a playful homage to the original community hall's architectural features while establishing a strong civic presence. The undulating peaks that grow progressively larger along the building's length demonstrate how contemporary architecture can respect historical context while projecting a forward-looking vision.
Similarly, there is hope that the Windale Hub will serve as a catalyst for broader community transformation by demonstrating how thoughtful architecture, rooted in local context and developed through community collaboration, can meaningfully contribute to social equity and civic pride.
The project represents a significant investment in a community that has historically been underserved. By providing state-of-the-art facilities including a professional recording studio and maker space alongside traditional community amenities, the hub acknowledges both current needs and future aspirations of Windale residents.
The internal street concept creates more than just circulation space – it establishes a genuine civic realm within the building where community members can gather, interact, and build social connections. This design philosophy recognizes that community buildings should serve as more than just collections of individual rooms, instead functioning as integrated social infrastructure.
The reimagined library space particularly exemplifies this approach, moving beyond the traditional model of quiet study areas to create a flexible community living room that can adapt to various uses throughout the day. The integration of comfortable seating areas, work spaces, and garden views acknowledges that libraries must evolve to meet changing community needs in the digital age.
The project team included Adriano Pupilli, Matt Ryall, Aoiffe O'Kelly, Alex Volfman, Amir Shakya, Pablo Codina, Alex Cassar, and Emma Harrison. Additional consultants included Access Ai Consultancy as Accredited Service Provider Level 3, Power Control Engineers, Tree Management Strategies as arborist, North Construction and Building as builder, Erbas Associates for building services and Green Star certification, TTS as building surveyor, Quantum Engineers for civil engineering, Crozier Geotechnical Consultants, McGregor Coxall for landscape design, Steve Watson & Partners as private certifier, Lake Macquarie City Council as project manager, Altus Group as quantity surveyor, Partridge as structural engineer, and DFP Planning for urban planning services.
The project is built on the traditional lands of the Awabakal people and represents a significant achievement in community-centered architecture that prioritizes social equity and local engagement over purely aesthetic considerations.
