The former ‘Collingwood Tech’ has been transformed into Australia’s first community justice centre. The school was designed in Moderne style by Victoria’s Government Architect, Percy Everett, in 1943 to replace a 1912 building destroyed by fire. Heritage Victoria advises that a $150,000 heritage grant was provided to fund repair and re-glazing of the original steel-framed windows, regarded as a striking feature of the building.
Repairing and re-glazing the original windows was considered a much better heritage outcome than the more expedient option of total replacement (see Inherit, the Heritage Council Magazine, July 2007).
After watching the building deteriorate over the years, we welcome the adaptive re-use of a significant building.