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Building Engineering celebrates the completion of the Northern Memorial Park Depot, a landmark project for GMCT
Building Engineering is proud to announce the completion of the Northern Memorial Park (NMP) Depot for the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT). Awarded in July 2022 and completed in November 2024, this mass-timber, two-storey operations hub is the new base for GMCT’s northern horticulture and burial operations teams.
Designed by Searle x Waldron Architecture, the depot’s sustainable approach reflects GMCT’s aim to reduce the environmental footprint of its operations. The state-of-the-art facility includes new offices, meeting rooms, workshops, storage, wash and spoil bays, a horticulture workshop, collaboration spaces, excavation training facilities, a pedestrian and vehicle bridge, and expansive landscaping.
Suzannah Waldron, Director at Searle x Waldron Architecture, shares the vision: “We wanted to design a building that challenged what a normal depot building was and used mass timber materials, representing the client’s values around sustainability, longevity, and perpetuity.”
The project features more than 300 timber members, all stick-built on-site, and 150,000 recycled bricks, locally sourced to highlight eco-conscious construction methods. The building features an extensive solar panel array and a rainwater harvesting system, enhancing its sustainability, and reducing its environmental footprint.
James Reid, GMCT’s Chief Built Environment Officer, emphasises the importance of partnership in this achievement: “The key to this project’s success lies in the close collaboration and communication between our project partners Building Engineering and Searle x Waldron Architecture. This is the most complex and largest project we’ve ever undertaken.”
Andrew Eljari, Construction Manager at Building Engineering, praises the team’s efforts: “We are incredibly proud of our construction team for delivering this unique project that will be admired and enjoyed for generations to come.”
This flagship project sets a new benchmark for depot facilities, offering operational functionality and architectural innovation. Watch the video to experience the journey and see how this landmark facility is set to shape the future of NMP.
