Girgarre Food Hub by Studio Osk

 Described as intelligent and interesting, the Girgarre Food Hub is the design plan for a technologically advanced food hub expected to be built at Girgarre after Heinz vacates the site soon.

The Girgarre Food Hub design is a step forward towards integrating learning and delivering. When Heinz revealed its decision to shut down the Girgarre tomato factory, a potential replacement was sought and the Girgarre Food Hub came up. Goulburn Valley Food Action Co-Operative approached Studio Osk for a blueprint of the site. This presumably would be the new factory – with huge potential for social change.

The Girgarre Food Hub, it is anticipated, will combine educational and food excellence facility with the commercial operations of the factory. The Girgarre Food Hub could be central Victoria’s, and probably Australia’s, first of its kind . This, most certainly, will attract a lot of tourists.

Ben Waters and Will Loft along with the architectural designers from Studio Osk conceived the designs for The Girgarre Food Hub. Besides being a meeting place for the workers and the public, this could provide a unique opportunity for getting an insight into the world of production. Visitors can learn different aspects of the factory: what happens inside the factory, from where the food products are sourced and how it is processed etc. The Girgarre Food Hub can channelize several pathways around the location. It can be a platform for integrating diverse environmental systems like harvesting, growing vegetables, purification of water etc. Vocational training is also reckoned to be an excellent initiative by the Food Hub. Expanding the reach of community meeting points could bolster the farmer markets.

Girgarre is a prominent employer in the area and the shutting down of the Heinz factory is very likely to render many people jobless. Building a food hub can potentially serve the purpose and provide employment to many in a small place, that it is. According to the Goulburn Valley Food Co-operative, an encouraging $30,000 funding is the latest achievement in this regard. This innovative concept could help pump some money into its economy.