A Space Designed for the Community – Cabarita Conservatory by Sam Crawford Architects

The Cabarita Conservatory by Sam Crawford Architects complements the natural environment to create a public space in Cabarita Park on the water’s edge.

The site is orientated with the geometry of the natural setting, embracing the park’s heritage-listed 19th-century gardens and pathways across the headland. The existing pathway dictates the positioning of the simple pavilion, which had been naturally formed pre-European invasion. The space allows the environment to speak for itself, with the Conservatory embodying the idea of a large, sheltering pavilion that directs people down towards the park and the water, rather than blocking the path and natural orientation.

The space allows the environment to speak for itself.

Comprised of three pavilions, a gazebo, hall, and amenities block, the spaces of the Conservatory slide past each other, anchored to the hall’s generous veranda and hinged off two monumental rolled steel gutters. These play into a sequence of internal and external spaces on the crest of the hill. The pavilions can be fully opened to the surrounding parkland with generous glass sliding doors, culminating in an outdoor room at the foot of a majestic Moreton Bay fig tree.

The pavilions can be fully opened to the surrounding parkland with generous glass sliding doors.

Sam Crawford Architects conducted extensive community consultations with the local residents and ‘Friends of Cabarita Park,’ identifying the need to create a space that could be used in any climate conditions for parties, art classes, or bingo. Working around a tight budget meant the architects explored alternative means of maximising space. An expansive overhang doubles the space, with the glass doors opening up to a large veranda area, flowing seamlessly into the natural habitat of the park.

The design seeks for the Conservatory to embrace its natural setting, and allow it to be exposed to nature, hence the sliding glass doors. This also allows the structure to use simple techniques of orientation, shading and insulation that enable the building to be passively cooled, meaning no cumbersome mechanical air conditioning is needed.

A mixed palette of raw and hardy materials enables the pavilions to withstand weathering and various climate conditions in the park. The architects used recycled spotted gum, visually unifying the Conservatory with the winding river below through a horizontal datum, while the steel structure provides a tight vertical rhythm with the surrounding tree trunks. The slopping roof doubles as a rainwater collecting vessel, allowing recycled water to be used in the amenities for the busy weekend park users. Meanwhile, the new restrooms reflect the heritage of the nearby Federation Pavilion with minty tones and decorative timber.

The design seeks for the Conservatory to embrace its natural setting.

From within its position surrounded by trees, the Conservatory appears at home in the parkland. For the local community, the design provides a useful, yet beautiful, structure that encourages the public outdoor space to be used and enjoyed.