Geelong Arts Centre is undertaking the Church Redevelopment Project on Ryrie Street, transforming a former church into an intimate, artist-led venue for live music, comedy, theatre, dance, and performance. Scheduled to open in early 2026, the facility is designed to support independent and emerging artists while expanding Geelong’s cultural infrastructure.

ABK Fire Engineering was engaged to provide specialist fire engineering services for the redevelopment. ABK developed tailored fire safety strategies to address the unique challenges of adapting an existing building into a performance venue, including high-occupancy assembly spaces, varied performance configurations, and flexible audience layouts.

The scope included performance-based fire engineering solutions to support safe egress, occupant life safety, and compliance with contemporary regulatory requirements, while accommodating the architectural and operational demands of a modern, multi-use arts venue.

Through close collaboration with the project team, ABK Fire Engineering delivered compliant, practical fire safety outcomes that enable the Church redevelopment to function as a safe, adaptable, and sustainable performance space for Geelong’s emerging creative community.