Fairfield Homemaker Centre

The Fairfield Homemaker Centre is a new retail bulky goods development adjoining the existing Bunnings site in Townsville’s growing Fairfield Waters. The development is located between the nexus of North and South through the Bruce Highway and forms part of the retail offer of the newly established Fairfield Waters residential development. The design concept for the Homemaker Centre focuses on the idea of ‘occupation’.

The location of Townsville called for a different approach to the users experience of retail, with consideration of the hot and humid climate. Hames Sharley sought to provide a shaded, landscaped, walkable and habitable climate where people could meander through the development at their leisure and not feel the need to hurry through the experience. The main architectural element of the landscaped walkway achieves this through the integration of roof landscape, using water misting, with a 4m wide shaded walkway with urban furniture.

The main built form material utilises pre-cast and onsite form methods for concrete to achieve a raw finish, where the structure is the finished surface. Heightened entry statements along the walkway interrupt the horizontal rhythm of the concrete awning, signifying a gateway to the retail experience. The car parking for the site is designed for absolute convenience, as it is directly located opposite the Retail front door. Designed tenancy and wayfinding signage exemplifies an integrated design approach and outcome, ensuring tenants ultimately have great exposure and the public can easily find their way around the centre.

The Health and Wellbeing Block at Fairfield Homemaker centre concentrates on sport, lifestyle and health. It delivers a learn-to-swim school, indoor rock climbing facility, yoga studio, indoor golfing facility with a café, amenities, end-of-trip facility and management office. Additionally, 135 new car parks will be introduced. Stage B of the development will provide a new cinema complex as well as another food and beverage tenancy.