Baha’is in South Australia have commenced renovation of a heritage-listed building in the centre of Adelaide.
It is destined to become the new Baha’i Centre of Learning for South Australia. Located at 263-279 Flinders Street, the building was opened in 1878 as South Australia’s first two-storey state school.
The building functioned as a public school until 1968, and was last used as the Flinders Street School of Music, which closed in 2001. It had remained vacant until the Baha’i Council for South Australia took ownership in October 2006.
Mildura architect Chris Wates has been appointed as project manager for the renovation, which is being carefully planned to conserve the heritage value of the building.
Once it is fully operational, the building will function as a Baha’i Centre of Learning, offering study groups, children’s classes and other spiritual education programs and functions. This will carry on the use it has had since its inception – education.
The building will also be the permanent seat for the Baha’i Council for South Australia.