International Architecture Awards Tell a friend
ARCHIVE 2020
Architects: Liminal Architecture
Client: RACT Destinations - Freycinet Lodge
General Contractor: Lane Group (Cordwell Lane at Time of Construction)
Photographers: Dianna Snape and Alastair Bet
The established Lodge is an extensive development in the Freycinet National Park on the East Coast of Tasmania, Australia, originally developed in the 1990s with ecological standards well below today's expectation for national parks.
Underlying the commission was the delivery of a new style of accommodation that celebrates the scenic qualities of the unique setting.
The Pavilions provide a point-of-difference to the existing 60 cabins, offering a quality, contemporary, eco-sensitive, site-specific experience enabling the Lodge to be noticed globally and to make ecological amends.
With its pink-orange granite mountains and breathtaking coastline, Freycinet National Park is one of the oldest National Parks and most visited places in Tasmania.
The architect’s brief was to provide a new style of accommodation befitting of the Park's natural beauty, providing an experience for guests that respects and emanates its context.
The architects sought to create environmentally sensitive, architecturally innovative, grounded yet elegant spaces, heightening a sense of immersion and awareness of nature.
Design inspiration was drawn from the fluid topography of the nearby bays and layered coastal granite rock formations while paying homage to the character of the National Park they nestle into.
Translated into a form and layout that bends and curves with floor to ceiling curved glass windows, and integrates a generous deck with sunken outdoor bath, an immersive connection to the landscape is enabled.
A challenge presented by the brief was to locate nine pavilions where six of the original waterfront cabins were demolished while also providing a sense of privacy and seclusion.
The embrace of the plan, reminiscent of nearby bays, responds to the site constraints and is formed through the positioning and interplay of the living room and bedroom pods, shielding the deck and offering privacy to the outdoor bath.
Mirroring the plan adds further versatility for optimal orientation.
The pavilions are presented discreetly to guests on approach with a charred timber, protective envelope as the exterior to the pavilions, creating a recessive backdrop to the beautiful landscape and filtered water views.
The modest budget led to a creative use of humble and common materials with a low carbon footprint.
The warmth of Tasmanian timbers bathes the interiors. The specialty timber Blackwood has been used sparingly and is featured as the finish to the minimal joinery.
The only Tasmanian-made structural plywood is used for floors and ceilings, and off-cuts of solid Tasmanian Oak with different thicknesses are applied in a random configuration to the walls providing interest as the light shifts and changes.
Utilizing and showcasing utilitarian and natural materials in innovative ways have created a unique environment reflective of place, emphasizing a Tasmanian experience. An experiential highlight is the netted, hammock-like balustrades.
Recognizing the desire to retain views that a standard balustrade would interrupt, the architects devised the unique solution that provides a novel opportunity for relaxing and enjoying the incredible setting.
The architects saw the redevelopment as an opportunity to remediate and introduce the best environmental practice.
Careful siting avoided vegetation clearance and excavation plus a rigorous construction management plan minimized disturbance to the flora and fauna habitats, and reflected construction efficiencies resulting in less time on site.
All materials and prefabricated modules were delivered to the Pavilions' specific sites by hand or wheelbarrow.
Social sustainability was addressed through engaging local manufacturers, contractors, and artisans, again reemphasizing the experience of place.
