Narbethong Community Hall is a Fireproof Building in the Australian Bush

The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Saturday_bushfires" target="_blank">Black Saturday fires of 2009</a> destroyed Narbethong's community hall and afterwards <a href="http://www.bvn.com.au/" target="_blank">BVN Architecture</a> donated their services to design and build a new fireproof building to meet the community's needs. BVN Architecture drew inspiration from the surrounding bush and trees outside of Melbourne to design the structure and encased it in a fireproof mesh facade. The flexible, open floor plan building provides ample space for a variety of events, meetings and activities. Transparent but incredibly durable, the new Narbethong Community Hall has a direct connection with the surrounding nature and people passing by can see the lively activity going on inside.

The Black Saturday bushfires in 2009 burned over 4,500 km² (450,000 hectares, 1.1 million acres), resulted in the lost of 173 people's lives and injured over 400.

The damage to the areas surrounding Melbourne was extensive and disastrous and included the loss of the <a href="http://www.bvn.com.au/projects/narbethong_community_hall.html?OpenDocument&amp;idx=Type&amp;pcat=Public^Buildings" target="_blank">Narbethong Community Hall</a>, the only public space for residents of the area.

Even before, the timber building lacked in adequate facilities for the community and was defenseless bushfires.

BVN Architecture, with the help of <a href="http://www.arup.com/" target="_blank">ARUP</a>, donated their services to design a new hall with improved facilities, one that would have a more direct connection with the surrounding landscape and most importantly, would meet new fireproof building codes.

According to <a href="http://www.bvn.com.au/pages/ninotschka_titchkosky_.html" target="_blank">Ninotschka Titchkosky</a>, Principal of BVN, "As Narbethong’s only public venue, the hall is the heart of the community. It is a space where local people can come together for meetings, recreation, celebrations and commiserations. In a small country community, a building like this holds great importance."

The structure was built to meet <a href="http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/www/html/2606-what-is-a-bushfire-attack-level-bal.asp" target="_blank">Bushfire attack levels</a> BAL 29, be low maintenance and survive on its own in case of fire so the community could focus on their homes and businesses.

A fireproof bronze mesh encases the building and eliminates the chance of embers passing through and catching the building on fire.

The inner structure is formed from floor to ceiling double-paned glass supported by fire-retardant Blackbutt timber mullions.

Narbethong Community Hall after the fire.

Flexible floor plan concepts.

Narbethong Community Hall site plan.

Narbethong Community Hall floor plan.

Location of Narbethong with relation to Melbourne.