ECOPact and Geostone shape award-winning library and community hub in Australia
A stunning sustainable landmark, Australia’s award-winning Biyal-a Armstrong Creek Library and community hub, in Geelong near Melbourne, was built with Holcim’s ECOPact low-carbon concrete and Geostone® decorative concrete.
The City of Greater Geelong and architecture and design studio Buchan Architects, worked with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation to create a civic landmark that supports community life while expressing strong architectural and sustainability values.
Externally, the library adopts a simple form in raw concrete, with organic shapes and refined detailing that reflect the project’s “living water” concept. With its warm interior palette, the civic space feels grounded, welcoming and connected to Wadawurrung Country.
Balancing sustainability, resilience and design
The project required materials that balanced sustainability, resilience and architectural intent, and Holcim engaged at an early stage with Buchan Architects and the consultancy team to meet the standards required by the tender.
Bespoke ECOPact and Geostone mixes were developed for both the structure and finish of a high-use public building, with our early inputs reducing risk and giving the project team confidence that our specified solutions would deliver onsite.
ECOPact delivered 100% performance offering at least 30% lower CO2 emissions compared to standard (CEM I) concrete, without offsets. Supplied by Holcim’s ready-mix plant in Geelong, ECOPact enabled more sustainable, expressive architecture.
A charcoal-toned Geostone “Dark Matter” pathway mimics a creek winding through the building, guiding visitors and connecting key community spaces. The lighter Geostone “Atlas” finish, featuring local charcoal stone, was used on the ground floor and balconies.
©Tom Roe
©Tom Roe
©Tom Roe
©Tom Roe
©Tom Roe
Achieving ambitious green building standards
The library achieved a 5-Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, with ECOPact’s Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), providing transparent, independently verified information on the concrete’s impact across its lifecycle.
This helped the building win the New Construction Grand Prize at the Green Solutions Awards 2024-2025, with the jury praising the “synergy between technology and sustainability, combining energy efficiency, water recycling, and low-carbon concrete. Its distinctive exterior design blends aesthetics with natural light.”
Our stories
