Construction works have begun on a new $16 million visitors centre designed by Troppo Architects at Flinders Chase National Park on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island.
The former visitors centre collapsed during the 2019-2020 bushfires, the largest in the island’s history, which also destroyed 96 percent of the Flinders Case National Park and the adjoining Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area.
The new centre is located nine kilometres from the original, which was deemed unsuitable in the wake of the devastation. The new building has been conceived as a series of lightweight pavilion structures, recessive in character, to prioritize a connection to the outdoors.
The visitors centre will be made from bushfire-resistant timber and rammed earth sourced from existing nearby sites. Local laterite gravels and surface limestone, along with charred eucalypt from bushfire clearance along park fire tracks, will add a uniquely “local texture”, the architects said.
The new centre will sit perched on a curated landscape, surrounded by wastewater treatment zones, rainwater storage tanks, and a colonnade roofed by solar panels, as well as a richly forested creekline and public picnic areas.
The new centre will sit perched on a curated landscape, surrounded by wastewater treatment zones, rainwater storage tanks, and a colonnade roofed by solar panels.
Image:
Troppo Architects
“The site demands autonomous servicing,” Troppo Architects said, “and water will be harvested and stored [onsite] with solar panel arrays extending catchment capability, as well as powering a containerized battery.” Walkways and shelters around the national park will also help to collect rainwater, while onsite wetlands will help to filter waste and stormwater.
Adopting best environmentally sustainable design (ESD) practise, gas has been entirely omitted from the site. Electric vehicle charging ports have been included in the visitors’ carpark, while the building design has adopted low-power strategies for heating, cooling, and lighting.
“Low embodied energy is a primary tenet in the development of the centre’s architectural and siteworks strategy, and is generally concrete-free and lightweight, using sustainably sourced timbers and materials and fitments of Australian manufacture,” said Troppo.
Render of visitors centre staffroom deck.
Image:
Troppo Architects
The centre will maximize the benefits of the site; facing due north, it will use passive design principles for lighting, sun-shading and cross-ventilation.
“The space will draw in winter sun and with appropriate summer shading and deliver high levels of ventilation, even when heating and cooling modes are activated,” said Troppo. Once operational, the building is designed to generate and store its own power and will be entirely self-sufficient in terms of water usage.
Harbouring a strong connection to the area, Troppo Architects previously worked on Platypus Waterholes on Kangaroo Island in the wake of the 2010 bushfires in Flinders Chase National Park. A series of small structures comprising platforms, shelters and lookouts, the walkway was made from low-maintenance, durable and sustainable materials and allows visitors to safely engage with the unique ecological landscape.
Kangaroo Island’s tourism industry contributes $140 million to the state’s economy annually, the SA government said, and rebuilding the visitors centre marks an important step in the island’s bushfire recovery. The University of Adelaide is contributing $2 million to the rebuild of research facilities at the centre, as conservation groups, research partners and commercial tour operators are expected to use the centre’s event space.
Construction is expected to be complete in 2024.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
