Cardinal Knox Centre

Cardinal Knox Centre
Cardinal Knox Centre entrance
General information
Architectural style	Modernist with monolithic concrete column extrusions
Address	383 Albert Street, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Construction started	1971
Client	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne
Design and construction
Architect	Roy Simpson
Architecture firm	Yuncken Freeman

The Cardinal Knox Centre, is a modernist church associated building located on 383 Albert Street, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was commissioned to be built by Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne in 1971 by architect, Roy Simpson of Yuncken Freeman. The site originally housed Saint Patrick’s College, however it was demolished in 1968 to facilitate the creation of the primary administrative building that exists presently. It is situated next to St Patrick’s Cathedral and one of the original blue stone towers that belonged to St Patrick’s College.

The Cardinal Knox Centre provides a connection between St Patrick's Cathedral and St Patrick's College. A modernist building, its facade consists primarily of monolithic concrete column extrusions informing structural depth. The key idea behind the design was the enhancement of surrounding historical buildings and to create juxtaposition without detracting from them. The centre is primarily used for administrative purposes by the Archdiocese. The building site consists of two wings, the eastern and western.

Landscaping is a large part of the Cardinal Knox Centre due to its low rise and long form. The eastern wing consists of prevailing water features and "stepped stone garden terraces". The use of stone is constant throughout most of the building and extends through the buildings car park to create continuity between this space and the building. Varied shapes were tested for the main courtyard, however, the final design was a circular courtyard accompanied by smaller, private courtyards in the centre.

The detailed form of the western wing is created from a sequence of secluded walls with "deep window reveals". Cardinal Knox Centre gives a reference to the reinforced structure of St Patrick's Cathedral and what remains of St Patrick’s College whilst joining the two, however, "it speaks about its own time and architectural intent".

Due to the nature of the addition, various historical precedents were looked at in the designing of this building, to help understand the best way to approach adapting such a historical landmark. These precedents include: Notre Dame Cathedral, York Minster, Church of St. Trophime, and Saint Mark's Basilica. St Patrick's Cathedral is a monumental icon of Melbournian architecture. Hence, Simpson wished to design a building that enhanced its greatness rather than attempting to add on or overshadow the cathedral’s design. 'The sympathetic use of materials, low profile and use of water ponds to the roofs fronting Victoria Parade helps the offices and presbytery to seem more of a landscape element than a building.' "…The opening of the Cathedral grounds to Fitzroy Gardens could create great new civic space…" For mainly this reason, as well as not to over shadow the Cathedral, Cardinal Knox Centre was created as a "low rise solution to [the] large site."