The Northshore Pavilion by Anna O’Gorman Architecture is an information center for the Northshore area in Queensland, located on the banks of Hamilton Reach.
The architecture is promoted by Economic Development Queensland (EDQ), conceived as a temporary pavilion that provides a meeting place and social relationship with spaces for holding events for the local community.
It is located in a large area, which reaches 304 hectares in full urban development, creating a temporary landmark with a powerful connection with the place, with the river on the shore of which it is located thanks to the strategy followed by the architect who moved its original position to a point closer to the band with the greatest influx of people, the riverbank.
The building captures the attention of passersby thanks to its original envelope, a powerful structure of wooden slats, a roof that gives the building its name, which breaks and folds providing shelter and shade to the large raised platform located under it.
Ramps and stairs lead pedestrians into the building, drawing them in from virtually anywhere they come from. Under the large canopy, there is an open space that allows meetings and events of various kinds to be held, leaving only the small cubicles that house the bathrooms and the private rooms reserved for the promoters of the building.
Small open-air terraces stand out from the covered outdoor space, inviting the visitor to enjoy them as spaces for relaxation and conversation.
Both from the terraces and from the entrances or interior spaces, the building maintains a visual connection with its immediate surroundings, mainly with the Brisbane River, towards which the main views open.
Sustainability and reuse have been other of the premises of the project. For this reason, the wood from the old pier was reused. In addition to being respectful of the environment, it creates the poetic character of the building alluding to history, the past of the place where it is located.
The exterior aesthetics of the building is determined by the texture of the wood and its dark color, due to the fact that it has been blackened by staining it with charcoal.
In the interior, it is committed to finishing in the natural color of the wood, which allows creating a warmer and more welcoming atmosphere.
Photography: Christopher Frederick Jones