PROJECT Upper Hunter Innovation Center

ARCHITECT Collins and Turner

LOCATION Muswellbrook, NSW

Muswellbrook’s bustling Bridge Street welcomes a new landmark: the Donald Horne Building. Multi-functional spaces for learning and research blend with commercial activity, all housed within a concrete frame defying gravity with a vast atrium and intricate façade. Situated between historic Loxton House and Weidman Cottage, the Donald Horne is connected by a stunning glass bridge – not a single metal beam touches either side. Loxton House will be rejuvenated with earthquake-proof upgrades, removing outdated extensions, adding an elevator, and transforming the upper level into a vibrant “Innovation Hub” for entrepreneurs. Finally, a unique covered public space, painstakingly designed through numerous iterations, unites all three buildings. Its soaring canopy, visually balanced on a single point, invites the community under its embrace, marking a new chapter for Muswellbrook’s education and innovation landscape.

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