Case Studies
The Goods Shed
Design Feature
Type of project
Placemaking
State
Western Australia
Location
Urban
Managed and curated by FORM, The Goods Shed is a social and cultural project delivered in a repurposed rail shed, located alongside the train station in Claremont, Western Australia.
Connecting community with creativity
The project houses an interactive, open-plan gallery, as well as creative space that fosters collaboration and the cross-pollination of ideas. The space additionally includes coffee pod for public use and hosts various creative events and high-profile exhibitions.
Works on site began in February 2016 and the space was launched to the public in August that same year. With an ongoing series of artist residencies, creative workshops and public programming, The Goods Shed seeks to fuel the way people think, plan and act with imagination and innovation.
Accessible to anyone and everyone, The Goods Shed aims to connect, comfort and inspire, to engage people of all ages in creative learning, and to nourish new generations of innovative thinkers. The project is about investing in artistic talent, celebrating out-of-the-box thinking, growing opportunities for creative professionals and embedding art and creativity within community to change and grow a neighbourhood.
Originally constructed in 1887, The Goods Shed is included in Western Australia’s State Register of Heritage Places. The building had been disused for more than a decade and had become dilapidated and decrepit. In 2015, LandCorp released an Expression of Interest, looking for organisations who could activate the space and create a connection between Claremont’s historic town centre and the new Claremont on the Park development to the north. FORM responded in March 2015 with a proposal to develop The Goods Shed as a vibrant creative hub offering an engaging cultural program which was internationally relevant and grounded in the local community.
Griffiths Architects volunteered to consult on heritage aspects of the project and Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland volunteered to design and document the project. A period of heritage assessment, contracting of architects and builders, design development and approvals processes was then undertaken by FORM. Once approvals from the Town of Claremont and State Heritage were attained, the restoration works began. In August 2016, once all works were completed, The Goods Shed was officially opened with the launch of FORM’s public program.
With its proximity to the Claremont Train Station and development, its public grounds and the connected, walkable gardens, The Goods Shed offers opportunities for active recreation, social engagement and play. The building co-locates a café offering healthy, high quality food and top shelf coffee with a gallery and creative project space, maximising community interaction and use of the space. Located along a popular bike park and bustling train station, The Goods Shed is also popular amongst pedestrians and cyclists.
The venue engenders a strong sense of place and of community in multiple ways. In addition to acknowledging and preserving the heritage of the space in which the project is delivered, The Goods Shed offers residents and visitors opportunities to meet and interact within an attractive, vibrant and interesting space.
Griffiths Architects volunteered to consult on heritage aspects of the project and Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland volunteered to design and document the project. A period of heritage assessment, contracting of architects and builders, design development and approvals processes was then undertaken by FORM. Once approvals from the Town of Claremont and State Heritage were attained, the restoration works began. In August 2016, once all works were completed, The Goods Shed was officially opened with the launch of FORM’s public program.
With its proximity to the Claremont Train Station and development, its public grounds and the connected, walkable gardens, The Goods Shed offers opportunities for active recreation, social engagement and play. The building co-locates a café offering healthy, high quality food and top shelf coffee with a gallery and creative project space, maximising community interaction and use of the space. Located along a popular bike park and bustling train station, The Goods Shed is also popular amongst pedestrians and cyclists.
The venue engenders a strong sense of place and of community in multiple ways. In addition to acknowledging and preserving the heritage of the space in which the project is delivered, The Goods Shed offers residents and visitors opportunities to meet and interact within an attractive, vibrant and interesting space.
Project team
- FORM Building a State of Creativity and Landcorp.
- Griffiths Architects – Heritage Assessment
- Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland – Architects
- Cooper & Oxley – Builders.
Project Cost
Ongoing
Health Value
- The Goods Shed supports active recreation. It is located next to the Claremont train station, and is easily accessible via a number of nearby bus stops. It has a bike path running past it, as well as a secure bike lock up area at the station. In addition, the interior project space and garden are dog friendly, so the public are encouraged to walk, cycle, catch public transport or utilise a combination of these services to make their way to the space.
- Amidst the fast-paced Claremont precinct, the community hub provides a peaceful and beautiful place to take five, slow down and reflect, over a coffee, alone or meeting with a group, inside enjoying the art or outside in the garden. In this way, the space supports well-being.
Economic value
- The project has stimulated a new activity zone, acting as a critical bridging point across the railway line. Prior to the restoration of The Goods Shed, the shopping and business precinct just south of the train station was far busier than the north and people would seldom cross to the north. Now many people do, for example workers coming for lunch or coffee breaks and customers having a coffee before or after they go shopping. This adds significant value not only to the new accommodation being built, but also the businesses surrounding in the north.
- The Goods Shed’s year-round program of exhibitions and events bring a raft of high profile creatives to the area, as well as attaining significant coverage in national and international media, which, combined with its educational program and popular community events and its receipt of design and heritage awards over the last two years, have helped to boost the profile of, and in turn tourism and visitation to, the area.
- The Goods Shed’s program of community events, workshops, meet ups, markets, educational programming and exhibitions have helped to offer employment and educational opportunities within the space.
Environmental Value
- The restoration of The Goods Shed entailed a re-use of as much material as possible of the historical built form and minimal use of new materials.
- The works entailed the planting of a substantial garden in an area that was previously sand and concrete.
Social value
- The respective restoration of The Goods Shed and its reuse as a community facility has garnered a high degree of community support, recorded through community surveys.
- The space has increased community activation through engagement of the evolving Claremont on the Park community and has delivered a high quality cultural and community amenity.
- The Goods Shed offers a rich cultural program including an education, creative learning and community program engaging many Western Australian schools.
- Programming at The Goods Shed also builds social capital and capacity, and empowers community members through a raft of creative workshops, specialist talks and programs.
- The venue creates opportunities for social connection and engagement not only through events held at The Goods Shed but also as a place to meet between many other activities, as a space for recreation and a meeting point close to the new football club with gymnasium, a public pool and the tennis club.
Use value
- The Goods Shed is designed to be a versatile space and caters to an array of different events, from exhibitions to specialty bake sales to artist workshops and even Scribblers, a literature and art festival for children. The convergence of uses has created a platform for artistic and thought leadership, stimulating engagement and sparking dynamic activity from within the community.
References
Stay informed. Sign up to our newsletter.
I agree that I have read and I accept the Heart Foundation's Privacy Statement.