Brooklane Shopping Centre

Jun 13

An urbane public space for the growing Ellenbrook community

Project info

Client: Primewest (now Centuria)
Location: Ellenbrook, WA
Traditional owners: Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation
Date: 2021
Image credit: Robert Frith – Acorn Photo

TRCB worked with Centuria to design and deliver a shopping centre that would service the growing Ellenbrook community and provide an attractive town centre for its northern villages. With a leasable area of 5,500m², the centre is anchored by a state-of-the-art Woolworths and BWS, with an additional 14 stores and eateries.

Located on a site bordered by four roads, the centre was conceived to turn the constraints of significant level changes into opportunities for public space, rational design and expressive landscaping.

The eponymous Brooklane gives the project more than a name: it connects the centre’s physical, conceptual and aesthetic elements into a cohesive whole with a distinct Swan Valley identity. Intimately scaled and immediately welcoming, the lane is both functional and playful, encouraging activity and interaction as it runs along the centre’s north–south axis. Referencing nearby vineyards, organic steel shapes form a canopy over the lane and offer coverage and interest as visitors move between the shops, courtyard and carparks.

Comprising a harmonious set of human-scaled buildings in a varied palette, the centre complements its suburban, Swan Valley context. The building adjoining the forecourt features raw-concrete arches, honouring the Swan Valley’s historical market gardens. Reclaimed bricks, concrete basins and a restrained palette in the ablution facilities are an ambient addition to a centre with a distinctive and robust aesthetic.

Specialist contributions by local artists have helped make the project a success, with a mural by artist Stormie Mills at the northern entrance, and a polished-steel sculpture inspired by the Swan River’s tributaries by sculptor Johannes Pannekoek in the forecourt.

By working together to prioritise contextual integration, the project team has delivered an urbane public space and retail destination that enriches a burgeoning community and suburban precinct.

Awards

2023 Australian Institute of Architects WA Awards – Commercial Architecture Award
2023 Australian Institute of Architects WA Awards – Urban Design Commendation