Bellingen Memorial Hall
The Bellingen Memorial Hall is a historic town hall originally built in 1929, featuring classic 1920s architecture. Once the social hub of the town, it continues to host a wide range of events including orchestral performances, rock concerts, dance events, and serves as the largest venue for both the Bellingen Writers Festival and the Winter Music Festival.
In response to the community’s growing need for more diverse cultural venues, Bellingen Shire Council envisioned a transformation of the hall into a revitalised town hub. The redevelopment includes significant upgrades to the main hall with 400-500 capacity, and the construction of a second venue on site: a flexible, black-box style multipurpose studio with a capacity of 80-150.
CLIENT
Bellingen Shire Council / Sibling Architecture
LOCATION
Bellingen, NSW
COMPLETED
2023
Our Scope
Marshall Day Acoustics was engaged from the early stages of the project, providing consultation to the client and design team on acoustic requirements for the upgraded and new spaces. Our role included developing the acoustic design for both venues and providing ongoing support during construction to ensure the final result met performance and usability expectations.
Challenges
Delivering a flexible, contemporary performance space within the constraints of a heritage-listed building required carefully considered acoustic solutions. The design team needed to integrate new build components while maintaining the character and integrity of the original hall. The original 1929 structure included significant architectural features such as timber trusses in the auditorium and an art deco foyer, which were important to retain.
Our approach balanced performance requirements with the limitations of the existing structure, ensuring the upgraded and new spaces function effectively without compromising their historic context.
“This centre puts creativity at the heart of the community and will be a home for Wollondilly’s creatives for generations to come. This centre will draw world-class productions and provide a stage for local artists to perform, share their stories and build creative careers.”
PROJECT TEAM
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