Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design

Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - FacadeMacarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - Image 3 of 12Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - Windows, FacadeMacarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - Image 5 of 12Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - More Images+ 7

  • Architects: Supple Design
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  950
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2005
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Ian Tatton

Text description provided by the architects. Macarthur Gardens is a new housing estate one hour West of Sydney. The Education and Display Suite is where the project ‘vision’ is communicated and where individual housing lots will be sold. When all 900 Lots are gone, the building will be packed up and re-assembled at the next development, the current site developed.

Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - Windows, Facade
© Ian Tatton

The client’s brief seemed simple; a re-useable structure that would stand out from its residential context and act as a tool to help educate potential purchasers about environmental processes and the benefits of more sustainable ways of living.

Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - Image 5 of 12
© Ian Tatton

Inspired by Jørn Utzon’s unbuilt Bayview House's of the 1960's, a ‘lego set’ or kit of parts was created, whereby the logic of a repeating structural system (precast concrete) is the architetcure. Wherever possible the structure is revealed and explored for its sculptural and material qualities. Elements like the roof/gutters that tip water into the concrete awning, then down a rain chain and into tanks for reuse is a small metaphor of the sites hydrology that helps underscore the relationship of the building to the land.

Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - Windows, Door, Glass, Facade, Beam
© Ian Tatton

Apart from concrete the other major material is timber. Recycled blackbutt elements internally and ochre-stained rough-sawn plywood cladding externally. Notions of 'home' - moments of warmth and intimacy act as counterpoint to the cool gallery environment; limed hoop-pine and brushbox contrast and complement the cool rationality of the concrete structure.

Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - Windows, Facade
© Ian Tatton

For us the building acts as prototype for a new approach to the issue of low-cost suburban housing. Our clients loved it and version 1.1 in Melbourne was also finished.

Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design - Image 3 of 12
© Ian Tatton

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Project location

Address:Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
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Cite: "Macarthur Gardens Education & Display Centre / Supple Design" 30 Oct 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/39083/macarthur-gardens-education-display-centre-supple-design> ISSN 0719-8884

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