Location
Midway Point, Tasmania
Client
Lady Gowrie Tasmania
Year
In progress
Images
Cumulus
Land of
muwinina
LADY GOWRIE MIDWAY POINT
Connected kid-friendly interiors for a childcare centre in Hobart, Tasmania.
Just east of Hobart overlooking Frederick Henry Bay, a former Department of Education centre was in need of a modern redesign. We collaborated with childcare providers Lady Gowrie, as we did with their South Hobart space, to create more structured, thoughtful interiors for their new childcare centre. Our design gently welcomes children and creates a flexible space that allows staff to offer adaptable, imaginative care.
Protecting and connecting
We wanted to create a welcoming space that would immediately ease any anxiety children feel when they leave their parent's side at the start of the day. Instead of entering one large, overwhelming room, we've designed a dedicated entrance full of colour and playful elements to engage children on arrival, pique their interest about what lies ahead and make the transition to saying goodbye to parents feel quieter and calmer.
We’ve divided what was once a bare space into different zones, like an indoor play space, a wet area for craft and dining, and a quiet reading corner tucked away from noisy activity. A separate break room means carers can take some time for themselves, while still being able to observe activity in the garden.
Retain, reuse, renew
The existing space hadn't been altered since it was built. It was a typical institution building from the sixties, made from reddy-orange brick, grey concrete blocks and plenty of timber. Though the site has stunning views, high-level windows didn’t make the most of them.
Rather than start from scratch, our design makes the most of the existing structure by reinvigorating and reusing what we can, leaning on the natural material palette. New child-height windows now make the most of that connection to the water.
Playful meets practical
A free-standing geometric element will be a key way we’ll breathe new life into the space while keeping the broader integrity intact. As well as being an interesting feature in the room, this element allows staff to create flexible zones within the larger space.
We’ve been both playful and practical with finishes. Colourful perspex sits alongside glass. Soft carpet amongst easy-to-clean vinyl creates small moments within the larger space. With a focus on enhancing what’s already there, we upgraded the glazing, insulation and roofing. The timber details around the space create a warm, tactile feeling while window seats connect the interior play spaces to the water beyond.
+
Playstreet
Aldanmark
COVA
WT Partnership
LADY GOWRIE MIDWAY POINT
Stripped-back Georgian heritage and specialist stonemasonry.
A sympathetic restoration shaped by modern tastes.
Contrast and balance, tradition and modernity. Just what a family home needs. We responded to Symmons Plains’ significance in Tasmania’s history while curating a contemporary home for the new custodians - a family of seven.
We aimed to reveal the richness of the stories that came before. Colonist John Arndell Youl built Symmons Plains in 1839 with a structure crafted using early Australian settlement techniques. Youl famously introduced the brown trout to Australia. His family lived at Symmons for seven generations until it was bought in 2011. When we demolished the building’s original concrete, it revealed an eclectic mix of bed springs and old fencing added for reinforcement; a history of its own. It felt exciting to arrive at an answer for open, contemporary living within a building essentially the antithesis of that.
2020
Tasmanian Architecture Awards
Colorbond Steel Architecture - Commendation
2020
Tasmanian Architecture Awards
Residential Architecture
Location
Midway Point, Tasmania
Client
Lady Gowrie Tasmania
Year
In progress
Images
Cumulus
Land of
muwinina
Protecting and connecting
We wanted to create a welcoming space that would immediately ease any anxiety children feel when they leave their parent's side at the start of the day. Instead of entering one large, overwhelming room, we've designed a dedicated entrance full of colour and playful elements to engage children on arrival, pique their interest about what lies ahead and make the transition to saying goodbye to parents feel quieter and calmer.
We’ve divided what was once a bare space into different zones, like an indoor play space, a wet area for craft and dining, and a quiet reading corner tucked away from noisy activity. A separate break room means carers can take some time for themselves, while still being able to observe activity in the garden.
Retain, reuse, renew
The existing space hadn't been altered since it was built. It was a typical institution building from the sixties, made from reddy-orange brick, grey concrete blocks and plenty of timber. Though the site has stunning views, high-level windows didn’t make the most of them.
Rather than start from scratch, our design makes the most of the existing structure by reinvigorating and reusing what we can, leaning on the natural material palette. New child-height windows now make the most of that connection to the water.
Playful meets practical
A free-standing geometric element will be a key way we’ll breathe new life into the space while keeping the broader integrity intact. As well as being an interesting feature in the room, this element allows staff to create flexible zones within the larger space.
We’ve been both playful and practical with finishes. Colourful perspex sits alongside glass. Soft carpet amongst easy-to-clean vinyl creates small moments within the larger space. With a focus on enhancing what’s already there, we upgraded the glazing, insulation and roofing. The timber details around the space create a warm, tactile feeling while window seats connect the interior play spaces to the water beyond.
+
Playstreet
Aldanmark
COVA
WT Partnership
Playstreet
Aldanmark
COVA
WT Partnership