Emu Plains business, DDC Architecture and Interior Design have been revealed as the Australian architects for a new Hindu Temple.
This $41 million Hindu Temple will be built by Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS) in Adlington Road, Kemps Creek, New South Wales.
According to Penrith City Council, this temple was approved last month by the Sydney Western City Planning Panel.
The development will include a 25-metre tall temple, two two-storey community buildings, a carpark and extensive gardens.
Director of DDC Architecture + Interior Design Geoff Ferris-Smith said:
“They wanted to use a local architect to support the community they are coming into. We stood out because our core work has been designing Churches and bible colleges, and we also have experience in building large scale workforce accommodation communities for the resources sector.”
After initial discussions, BAPS Sydney which is based in Rosehill, also sent Mr Ferris-Smith to India.
“I travelled to India to get a better understanding of the Hindu faith, which was a huge privilege. I spent two weeks living in a Monastery with the Monks and travelled to five different Temples throughout the state of Gujarat in the west of India.”
Following his trip, it took three years from first pencil to final approval of the design.
Mr Ferris-Smith worked closely with Penrith Council to ensure that the design was compliant with Australian safety and accessibility standards.
This new Hindu temple may take up to nine years to construct and the first stage of the development will be complete in 2023.
According to Penrith City Council, this stage will involve moving 400,000 cubic metres of earth to accommodate a carpark, gardens and the two community buildings, which will include a 2,000 seat auditorium, kitchens and a 1,000 seat dining room along with teaching spaces.
Mr Ferris-Smith said that the Hindu temple’s gardens will be open to the Australian public.
“The idea is that you come in through the gardens to calm your mind and help stop the ‘monkey chatter’ of the mind and the everyday world before you enter the Temple.”
Further, the construction of the Hindu temple will create local jobs and create multicultural community in the Penrith area.
