Log Cabin Hotel by Team 2 Architects

Following its devastating destruction in a fire in 2012, Penrith’s Log Cabin Hotel has been proudly resurrected by Team 2 Architects. Utilising materials from CSR, the new building pays homage to the hotel’s significant past whilst promising a safer future.

Steeped in history, Log Cabin Hotel rests on the land of the Darug people. Spread across three distinct lots, part of the construction overlooks the Nepean River, marking the boundary between Penrith and Emu Plains, whilst the other is positioned towards the south-east, adjacent to Memorial Avenue. Generations of people have dedicated their time on the site to inn-keeping, such that Log Cabin Hotel has received special status as the prized landmark of the locality.

Inspired by the original Log Cabin Hotel, the new iteration stays true to the building’s signature aesthetic and purpose.

Inspired by the original Log Cabin Hotel, the new iteration stays true to the building’s signature aesthetic and purpose. Within a contemporary scheme, the building maintains its pub and restaurant function whilst the neighbouring Victoria Bridge is taken as an architectural influence, with its heavy stone base, steel beams and trusses deftly referenced in the hotel’s material palette. The pre-existing pitched and gable roofs are replicated, made to visually interact with the Yandhai Nepean Crossing and unite the different elements of the site. Acknowledging the damage of 2012, the exterior of Log Cabin Hotel is crafted with specific emphasis on fire resistance. Products from the CSR Cemintel Territory range simulate the building’s original timber, including a warm-toned cladding in the colour Teak. Laid horizontally, the material is offset by the moodier and vertically installed Smoked colour variation. The pre-finished cladding has passed a three-storey, full-scale fire test, making it a reassuring addition.

Internally, Team 2 Architects focuses on acoustic insulation alongside fire safety. The CSR Martini Soffit is applied in XHD50 Black and at 75 millimetres, providing a high-performance means of insulating the exposed ceilings. While the Martini dECO Quiet Board is selected in a contrasting white, it is equally effective at absorbing sound. Pairing with the Martini products, CSR Gyprock materials reinforce the sense of structural integrity and acoustic balance. Gyprock 8mm Rigitone Square holes sit inconspicuously in the ceiling treatment, representing the first use of the acoustically-oriented, square-hole profile in Australia. The Gyprock 16mm Fyrchek and 25mm Shaftliner are also applied, both sporting a glass-fibre-reinforced core to establish heavy-duty flame protection. Finally, 9mm Square Edge Wallboard is used to dryline, creating a safe and thermally-comfortable internal architecture.

Products from the CSR Cemintel Territory range simulate the building’s original timber, including a warm-toned cladding in the colour Teak.

The completed Log Cabin Hotel symbolises the restoration of a beloved piece of the Penrith built environment. As the revived hotel continues to age, its efficient and considered construction will serve as a reminder of the impressive legacy of the building, as well as the importance of protecting against fire.