UQ Cricket Club Maintenance Shed by Lineburg Wang and Steve Hunt Architect
Pairing utility and robustness, the UQ Cricket Club Maintenance Shed sees Lineburg Wang and Steve Hunt Architect capture the spirit of the iconic summer sport.Through a reductionist approach, the University of Queensland Cricket Club Maintenance Shed is a proposition of modesty.
The shed celebrates the humble grey concrete block by showcasing both its sculptural and decorative qualities and reimagining the typical breezeblock screen. The structure is grounded by the weight and permanent nature of the blocks, showcasing the compounding effect achieved by using simple materials and repetition.
“Instead of being purely decorative, the permeable screen is structural,” says Lynn Wang, founding director of Lineburg Wang.
“The project hopes to champion uncommon approaches to common building materials.” With each brick selected for its strength and durability, the openings throughout also allow the interior to remain naturally ventilated. As a result, a series of shadows forms within the bricks – adding depth – as light passes over and past the structure.
Originally inspired by what Lynn describes as “an outcome driven by construction pricing and material supply constraints in 2020-21,” the original steel structure was replaced with a contemporary interpretation of the breezeblock wall. The resulting abstract structure won the Queensland Architecture Medallion from the Australian Institute of Architects and the Hayes & Scott Award for Small Project Architecture in 2023.
Architecture by Lineburg Wang and Steve Hunt Architect. Build by Xenia Constructions. Engineering by Ingineered.