From the architect:
This iconic beach-front project delivers a series of pools for both sporting and recreation, new commercial areas and activation of the street at the water’s edge, contributing to the wider Scarborough Hub precinct.
The Scarborough Beach Pool attempts to reveal the layers that define this landmark urban beach. Paramount to the proposition is the experience of the unique edge condition, the intersection between land and the Indian Ocean. The conceptual approach conceives the project as both built form and coastal geology, exploring the tensions between the natural and cultural context of Scarborough.
The linear nature of the site, bound on the east and west, creates a space within which the pool is immersed. Set into the site, preserving the quintessential beach arrival, there is an expansive view of the ocean. The topographical datums of the natural and man-made are expressed through the architectural form and material selection.
The material palette is restrained and responsive to the coastal environment and the functional programme of a pool. The use of raw timber, concrete and mosaic tile reinforce the conceptual resolution of the natural and man-made datum, expressing the raw character of Scarborough. The commercial buildings were developed as a shell and core only with fit-outs by others.
The project has achieved 6 star Green Star certification, the first of its kind in Australia. Sustainability was seen as integral to the design, rather than an add-on. Natural light, glare control, shading and natural ventilation.
The design has maintained its focus on the creation of a place, a space for people to experience the expanse of the coastline. The integration of topography, wind mitigation, architecture, landscape and sustainability create a holistic experience. A place immersed within a landscape, mediating between rugged coastal dune and manicured lawns brimming with life, contained by architecture.
