Old YZone wins design prize

By Sarah Thompson
NOT only has Pakenham’s former YZone building in Henry Street had a name change, it has also had a makeover that has won an architecture award.
Architect Wendy Hastrich won the South East Development Award for best building conversion for architectural excellence for her design of the building, which the shire has now changed into a service centre for youth and community groups and charity organisations.
Cardinia Shire Council’s coordinator of youth services Tom Kuster believes that the building has been greatly improved by Ms Hastrich’s work, as there was now more space, more windows and more colours.
“I’m sure residents who are in the area celebrate the change on a daily basis,” Mr Kuster said.
The South East Development Awards cover six Melbourne regions that form a horseshoe around Port Phillip Bay.
This year’s judges Professor Catherine Bull, Professor Leon van Schaik and world renowned photographer John Gollings said Ms Hastrich’s winning building had a warm public face with an approachable and friendly outcome.
“The shapes are not purely decorative, the ‘gills’ deal very effectively with climate control issues, protecting the building from the western sun.
“This is a lively, and pleasantly surprising, new life for a mediocre shed,” they said.
The awards are promoted by South East Development to recognise the contribution that design excellence brings to the quality of life experienced by residents of Melbourne’s southeast.
Other local awards went to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, due to open at the end of the month, and the best industrial award, won by Doig Architecture for Steel Park, Dandenong.