FEATURE STORY
The best kind of meeting place A one-of-a-kind construction that represents the future of public design, The Yarn in Hunters Hill is so much more than a versatile public space.
WORDS TRACEY PORTER
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The energy in the space is good
he magnetism of his physical surroundings is important to a man like Julio Zavagli. Having spent 15 years helping Sydneysiders connect to themselves and the space around them through yoga, the Brazilian-born businessman knows all too well how our physical environment can boost our spiritual and mental wellbeing. This ethos goes some way to explain why, twice a week every week, he chooses to base himself at an innovative new community hub located just seven kilometres away from the place he calls home. “The energy in the space is good. People come, they love the practice, they get to know each other. It’s a really cool space,” Julio says. Officially titled The Yarn, the community meeting spot where Julio hosts his classes is an award-winning library and community space being credited with threading the Hunters Hill and Lane Cove communities together. 14 TVO
Opened last October, it is the brainchild of Hunter’s Hill Council whose main goal was to create a space capable of delivering a range of activities from kids story time to village talks, a click and collect library service, as well as rooms for hire. But while this alone renders it similar to many other municipal buildings, what makes The Yarn’s concept unique is the fact it is also being used as a showpiece of sustainable design after being nationally recognised for its efforts in giving waste materials a new life.
An evergreen future Hunter Hill Council place and projects manager, Bec Ho, says developing a place of innovation was just one of the many factors driving the concept of The Yarn, which was many years in the making. “We wanted to create a dynamic, agile and communityaccessible space that embraced and showcased circular
