Overlooking Fitzroy Gardens, Master Builders Victoria’s headquarters has been retrofitted and upgraded into the Collaboration and Innovation Centre, providing new vocational education and training facilities alongside a member’s hub and flexible workplace spaces. The project reworks the existing building rather than replacing it, using adaptive reuse as a core strategy.
The original building was designed by Perrott, Lyon, Timlock, Kesa in 1967 and had undergone several changes since its construction, including substantial façade alterations, with external courtyards enclosed to create more internal area. Its inward-looking ground floor felt disconnected from the street, and the training rooms and breakout spaces were landlocked with no natural light or ventilation.
Our key move was to open the building up. The refurbishment removes combustible cladding, improves visibility and accessibility, and introduces a more generous public presence. A new on-grade entry reimagines the building’s relationship to the street, integrating accessible ramp access, informal seating and planting to create a welcoming threshold between the city and the building. A new café furthers the connection to the street.
The project retains much of the existing structure, including the primary concrete frame, lift core and stairs. Rather than treating the building as a blank slate, the design works with what is already there. New courtyards and a central void bring natural light deep into the plan, improving visual connections and creating moments of landscape throughout the building. This ensures training spaces have views to greenery, as well as access to outdoor breakout areas for fresh air.
The lower levels are organised around training, events and member facilities, with spaces that can expand or contract as different programmes require. The existing workplace floors above received a lighter touch. Throughout, flexibility was a priority, allowing spaces to adapt over time without extensive reconfiguration. All new additions have been designed for disassembly and circularity to ensure that potential future renovations can be low impact and highly efficient.
Research informed many of the project’s environmental decisions. Detailed sustainability analysis allowed us to weigh upgrade opportunities against cost and impact, meaning capital investment was directed towards the best outcomes with a payback period of less than ten years. The building is now all-electric, with significant improvements to thermal performance and operational efficiency.
Keeping in line with the sustainability strategy, we repaired, reused or recycled 90 per cent of the demolished building material. All new material interventions were assessed against low-carbon, circular, local, renewable, durable and non-toxic criteria. Existing bricks unable to be reused whole were crushed and recycled into new bathroom tiles.
By using less, retaining more and investing where it matters, the MBV’s Collaboration and Innovation Centre demonstrates how existing buildings can be transformed to better serve its occupants, all while retaining value and adaptability for the future.
MBV: Collaboration and Innovation Centre
An adaptive reuse project for Master Builders Victoria.
Master Builders Victoria’s headquarters has been retrofitted and upgraded into the Collaboration and Innovation Centre, providing new vocational education and training facilities alongside a member’s hub and flexible workplace spaces. The project reworks the existing building rather than replacing it, using adaptive reuse as a core strategy.
The original building was designed by Perrott, Lyon, Timlock, Kesa in 1967 and had undergone several changes since its construction, including substantial façade alterations, with external courtyards enclosed to create more internal area. Its inward-looking ground floor felt disconnected from the street, and the training rooms and breakout spaces were landlocked with no natural light or ventilation.
The project retains much of the existing structure, including the primary concrete frame, lift core and stairs. Rather than treating the building as a blank slate, the design works with what is already there. New courtyards and a central void bring natural light deep into the plan, improving visual connections and creating moments of landscape throughout the building. This ensures training spaces have views to greenery, as well as access to outdoor breakout areas for fresh air.
The lower levels are organised around training, events and member facilities, with spaces that can expand or contract as different programmes require. The existing workplace floors above received a lighter touch. Throughout, flexibility was a priority, allowing spaces to adapt over time without extensive reconfiguration. All new additions have been designed for disassembly and circularity to ensure that potential future renovations can be low impact and highly efficient.
Research informed many of the project’s environmental decisions. Detailed sustainability analysis allowed us to weigh upgrade opportunities against cost and impact, meaning capital investment was directed towards the best outcomes with a payback period of less than ten years. The building is now all-electric, with significant improvements to thermal performance and operational efficiency.
Keeping in line with the sustainability strategy, we repaired, reused or recycled 90 per cent of the demolished building material. All new material interventions were assessed against low-carbon, circular, local, renewable, durable and non-toxic criteria.
