Block twins Alisa and Lysandra Fraser’s al.ive body brand takes over Colonel Light Gardens church for new headquarters, annoying neighbours

A glamour soap brand founded by Block stars Alisa and Lysandra has moved into a striking 1960s Adelaide church – but locals aren’t happy.

The Church of Christ at Colonel Light Gardens in 1965. Picture: State Library of South Australia

Adelaide reality TV stars twins Alisa and Lysandra Fraser have turned a “beautiful” 1965-built church into their soap business HQ, ruffling the feathers of nearby residents

A Mitcham Council panel last week granted retrospective planning approval for the former Church of Christ at Colonel Light Gardens to be used as an office by al.ive body amid nine objections from local residents, who argued the building’s use as an office was inappropriate.

al.live body was founded by the twins in 2020, who starred in The Block in 2013 and went on to launch a renowned interior design business a year later.

Residents said the church, as a place of worship, “needs to be respected and practised”, called the new use “wholly inappropriate” and said the offices were not in keeping with the area’s status as a state heritage “garden suburb” established in the 1920s.

The Church of Christ at Colonel Light Gardens in 2024. Picture: Google Maps

Alisa and Lysandra Fraser, founders of al.ive body, are sisters and interior designers. Picture: Instagram / @alisa_lysandra

The panel approved the application after council officers said it was “an acceptable form of adaptive reuse” and the office of Environment Minister Susan Close said the development did not affect the suburb’s heritage status.

Al.ive body’s chief business and people officer Michelle Beech told The Advertiser the company had “respected the space that was already here and made it something amazing”.

“What we did is take a building that was important and restored life back to it,” she said. “We’ve made the best use of the building.

“Al.ive is such a big brand in Australia and having a head office in Adelaide is something that’s something wonderful for the community and for us.”

The company sells personal and home hygiene products are manufactured and warehoused in Victoria.

Popular soap brand al.ive body is using an unusual Adelaide church for its head office. Picture: Supplied

A report published by Heritage South Australia in 2023 said the building was “one of at least nine A-frame churches designed by Adelaide architect W. Lance Brune between 1961 and 1966 and was based on his earlier 1961 A-frame design for the former Salisbury Methodist Church”.

It concluded the church, which closed in early 2023 because of a dwindling congregation, was “not considered to demonstrate a high degree of creative, aesthetic or technical accomplishment” and did not meet the criteria for state heritage significance.

“Like many other churches built in South Australia after the Second World War, the construction … was precipitated by rising church attendance brought about by the baby boom,” the report said.

University of Adelaide senior architecture lecturer Dr David Kroll said the building “definitely has heritage value” and was “a beautifully designed church” despite not being listed on the state’s heritage register.

He said the stone decoration mixed with brick on the exterior of the building showed an uncommon “playfulness”.

“I wonder if the most productive use is offices,” Dr Kroll said. “There might be other churches interested in actually making use of that building. I know of quite a few churches that are looking for buildings.”

Originally published as Block twins Alisa and Lysandra Fraser’s al.ive body brand takes over Colonel Light Gardens church for new headquarters, annoying neighbours