The old Canberra Brickworks in Yarralumla could become a village-style laneway of micro galleries and cafes, under a new proposal for the site.
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The idea has been floated by the artisans who reside there, as a community-driven project to turn the semi-derelict brickworks into an iconic national attraction.
Thor Diesendorf, director of timber specialist Thor's Hammer, is driving the idea, along with a handful of Canberra architects and designers who have formed a working group committed to restoring the site.
The authoritative brickworks, tucked away at the back of Yarralumla, was the first industrial manufacturing facility in the ACT. It once produced the now-iconic red bricks of the nation's capital, of which four million were created to build Old Parliament House alone.
Most of the site, complete with huge kilns, massive chimneys and remnants of old bricks, now stands in disrepair.
"It really is a beautiful site. At the moment that is unrealised because the public doesn't have proper access and the buildings are deteriorating," Mr Diesendorf said.
He has a vision to preserve the heritage value and characteristics of the area, while welcoming community investment to create a family-friendly, industrial-style venue rich in history.
"After the Brickworks closed down in 1976 there has been a lot of artisans working out of the site," he said.
"I've been there about 21 years doing recycled timber and making furniture."
The working group who came up with concept plan want to be able to share the site with the community, and boost Canberra's reputation as a thriving city with a rich tapestry of arts and culture.
Stage one of the proposal is to create a village laneway set along the edge of Quarry Park, which would "give the public a taste of the future Brickworks experience", Mr Diesendorf said.
The subsequent stages of development would see public access to the kilns for weekend markets and events, as well as the development of a unique wedding venue, larger artisan workshops and an artisan-inspired boutique hotel.
"We want to see life in there. It will be like an arts and cultural facility for the community, a big place where families can come," Mr Diesendorf said.
"The core of it would be a place where artisans and designers could collaborate, which would work with the existing rising demand for handmade and artisan products."
Initial costings of between about $1.5 and $2.5 million for stage one of the proposal were in line with the previously slated government spend on the site, Mr Diesendorf said.
The plans, he said, had been positively received during discussions with the ACT government, the Yarralumla Residents Association, the Land Development Agency and the National Trust.
Mr Diesendorf and the Brickworks working group will host a community meeting to outline their vision and seek community feedback on Thursday, August 20, at 7.30pm at the Uniting Church hall, Denman Street, Yarralumla.
