Grounded in K’gari

Cottee Parker, in association with Bloc Design, partners with Fraser Coast Regional Council to shape a new civic and community anchor for Hervey Bay. The project brings library, customer service, Council chambers, administration, community rooms, public space and disaster resilience functions into one connected place.

The design starts with Country, water and the protective role of K’gari. The concept interprets four ideas — water, rock, oasis and cliff — as architectural moves. The ground plane opens like a water-worn passage, creating a sheltered gateway to the park. The lower civic form takes cues from coastal rock and sand formations. A planted upper terrace becomes a shaded civic retreat, while the corner tower creates a clear marker at Main Street and Torquay Road.

The building strengthens the city centre by making movement visible and intuitive. A public promenade cuts through the site, connecting Main Street to the parklands and forming a street foyer for civic life. This link brings people past the library, Customer Service Centre, shared lobby and public plaza, turning arrival into a daily civic experience.

The Customer Service Centre shifts Council engagement towards a concierge model. Visitors can choose self-service, booths, counter support or meeting rooms, creating a more flexible and approachable experience. The shared lobby supports library patrons, Council visitors and after-hours users while giving the building a clear public threshold.

Flexibility sits at the centre of the plan. The library, chambers, DRC, meeting rooms, terrace and plaza support different patterns of use across the day and evening. The Disaster Resilience Centre operates in stand-up mode for response coordination, then returns to meeting, training and community use in stand-down mode. Chambers support formal Council activity and wider public use, with pre-function spaces, storage and kitchen support planned for changeover.

The upper levels support a hybrid activity-based workplace shaped through staff engagement, persona mapping and workshop testing. Focus rooms, shared meeting settings, collaboration areas, lockers and social spaces give Council teams choice and ownership without overbuilding fixed offices.

Across the project, architecture, interiors, access, security and landscape work together. The result gives Hervey Bay a civic building that welcomes daily life, supports resilience, strengthens the city centre and reflects its region with clarity.