AHEAD of its first birthday celebrations recently, Berninneit in Cowes, took out one of the main gongs at the 2024 National Architecture Awards, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, earlier this month.

The judges spoke about precise implementation and uplifting natural light in a building which “speaks to the regional geology and coastal topography”, highlighting its interior grand hall which allows “for procession throughout the building’s length, and logical access to subsidiary spaces from this spine”.

Officially, the building is beautiful. Most agree.

But is it fit for purpose? Apparently not, if the questions put to last week’s Bass Coast Shire Council are anything to go by.

Diane McAskill wanted to know why local not-for profit-groups, including arts and sporting clubs, are not using Berninneit, the latest example being the Phillip Island Football Netball Club’s annual debutant ball on Saturday night, not held at Berninneit, but off the island at the Stan Watt Pavilion San Remo Recreation Centre.

Question: “With recent media concerns as to local NFP and community groups not using Berninneit for events due to costs and licences, are councillors aware that in addition to this, Bass Coast Shire Council seek a proportion percentage of merchandise sold from these NFP organisations at their event?”

The response from the shire’s administration addressed the issue of fees, indicating these may be reviewed by the new council.

Response: “The fees are charges consistent with industry practice and are set annually. All hirers are made aware of the terms and conditions at the time of booking. The new Council will consider fees and charges as part of the development of the 2025/26 Budget.”

But it wasn’t just that local community groups can’t afford to use Berninneit, it’s also about the commissions on sales of food and beverage, merchandise and other products that’s a killer for community events designed not only for community engagement but also fundraising.

No funds raised, no point. So, they go somewhere else as the Phillip Island Football Netball Club did last Saturday night when they took their annual deb ball off the Island to the San Remo Rec Centre.

The National Architecture Awards judges went beyond the design and implementation of the project to comment on its success in “accommodating community needs” but the verdict from the local community jury is still out.

“Berninneit,” they said, “is a beautifully crafted example of a multivalent gathering place. Its success in accommodating community needs and local cultural activity within a tactile and uplifting series of spaces makes it an exemplar of public architecture.”

But does it? The new council is yet to see a full report on the first year performance of Berninneit and what improvements might be made.

Here, the national judges’ comments might provide a clue on how the community can be better engaged: “The main plaza can be a gathering place for larger public events, while quieter landscaped edges make for a more intermittent experience.”

The dictionary defines “plaza” as “a public square, marketplace, or similar open space in a built-up area as in “the plaza is lively in the evenings when the pavement cafes are full.”

What about Passihaus?

Discussions about the success or otherwise of Berninneit have been, and continue to be dogged by its failure to achieve Passivhaus accreditation, reportedly costing the council an additional $2 million-plus in construction costs.

Philip Davy posed a question to the new council at its first meeting last week asking if the shire could expect a refund from the builders and architects if it was unable to achieve Passivhaus standards.

“Was the Cowes Cultural Centre construction contract subject to a penalty payment clause if the centre was not to gain Passivhaus certification, if not why not? Council paid an exorbitant amount for the construction of the Cowes Cultural Centre including for it to be classified as a Passivhaus establishment. It is over 12 months since it was opened but is still without Passivhaus Certification. What is the proposed date to achieve Passivhaus Certification?”

But the shire continues to rely on a response it has been making for 12 months, that achieving Passivhaus accreditation is up to the contractor not the council.

“Council entered into a design and construction contract with McCorkell for Berninneit. This contract included the requirement for the building to be Passivhaus certified. As with all construction contracts, a defect liability period applies. Council is actively working with the builder to address outstanding defects and ensure compliance, including Passivhaus certification.”

There were two other questions of a similar vein.

• Ross Bencraft: “Bernenneit has just celebrated the first anniversary of its' opening, but still has not achieved Passivhaus certification as it was supposed to upon "completion". What costs did the inclusion of specialized planning and construction necessary for the building to achieve Passivhaus, add to overall cost of the building? What does BCSC consider to be the acceptable and finite deadline for Bernenneit achieve passivhaus certification, and will the builders be expected to refund all extra costs associated with specialized passivhaus planning and construction should that deadline fail to be met?
• Amanda Noske: “Can council please provide all of the exact dates since the opening of Bernenneit, that the responsible builders or its representatives have physically visited the building to rectify the causes of the building failing to achieve Passivhaus certification. Can council please provide specific details of any and all physical work/alterations made to Bernenneit since its opening, in order to rectify the causes of its failure to achieve Passivhaus certification. But instead of addressing the points made in each of the three questions, including the specific query from Ross Bencraft about the additional cost to pursue Passivhaus, the shire’s administration rolled out the same response to all three questions.

Avid council watcher Graham Jolly says it’s not good enough from the new council.

“It’s disrespectful. Those community members have gone to the trouble of getting their questions in according to the council’s requirements. The least the council can do is answer their questions,” Mr Jolly said.

“It’s simply not good enough to be putting out a pro-forma answer to questions seeking information that should be out in the public domain.”

Meetings at Berninneit

There was another question about Berninneit, asking if council planned to hold any of its monthly meetings at Cowes.

Maureen Ellard: “When will Council conduct Council meetings at the Cowes Cultural and Community Centre.”

Response: “The Wonthaggi Civic Centre Council Chamber is Council’s space for Council meetings and has been set up to accommodate hybrid attendance, live streaming and a public gallery. Occasionally meetings may be scheduled at Berninneit, however it has not been created as a dedicated meeting space for Council.”