This eco lodge design was the winning entry in an architectural competition, which proposed to protect the headland by greening the site. The cabins were reinvented as imaginative buildings hidden amongst the tall trees. They are designed to be sculpturally exciting and to create a memorable experience.
Our design sought to create a unique Australian coastal destination. North Bendalong Lodge and Cabins were inspired by the bushland, beaches and ocean that surround the place. The design while clearly contemporary adopts forms and materials which comfortably fit with this landscape and the Australian vernacular tradition.
The buildings have organically grown out of the site by relating to the topography and the bushland. The orientation of the buildings is designed to respond to the climate and the stunning views of the ocean and surrounding beaches.
A series of two story cabin towers congregate near the crest of the ridge overlooking the coast in two directions. This village, capable of accommodating up to 20 guests in black timber towers, is romantic, sophisticated and practical yet unique. In plan the cabins provide a first floor bedroom and bathroom with spectacular views, a ground floor kitchenette, and small living area with slide away doors to an external deck. All cabins have a small pot belly fire place. Other buildings are kept to a minimum but follow the same form including a multipurpose gathering space at the western end of the ridge. The central multi-purpose facility is located nearest to the town to receive guests, cater and interact with the community, while an office and reception building is separately located to greet new arrivals. The multi-purpose facility houses a commercial kitchen, amenities and outdoor dining suitable for a multitude of uses. Cars are sensitively located to minimize their presence, tucked into the contours. The rest of the site is returned to nature with simple paths and careful new plantings to create view corridors, maintain privacy between buildings and create private open spaces for gatherings.
Consultant Landscape Architect; Sue Barnsley
