The Waterfront Pavilion
The Waterfront Pavilion
Built on a narrow wharf at Darling Harbour, the pavilion is a suspended tube that hovers between a submarine and a destroyer, shaped by the conning tower and bridge of the two vessels.
Built on a narrow existing wharf structure and to a tight budget the question was what should be the character of such a ‘building’ over the water of Darling Harbour and fitting tightly between two of the most significant Australian naval vessels.
Narratives of war
The design seeks to bring the narratives of war to life and significantly enliven the visitors relationship with the vessels, waterfront and broader museum precinct. The articulated facade of the pavilion complements the scale, form, colour of the vessels and the broader marine environment. The Waterfront Pavilion offers a dynamic, immersive experience and is an elegant, integrated addition to the Harbour precinct.
The suspended tube ‘hovering’ over the wharf, creates space at the wharf level to move around and experience the edge where the vessels meet the water. The tube appears to ‘float’ in the air between the vessels floating in the water.This tube was then formally shaped and profiled in relation to the natural movement of visitors from the dockside up into the building, through the portals and gangways onto the vessels.
Shaped by the vessels
The pavilion is further shaped by the primary forms of the adjacent vessels themselves, the conning tower of the submarine and the bridge of the destroyer creating central formal distortions. These distortions are then transformed into large glazed portals that frame lateral views onto the vessels.
The interior of the pavilion reflects elements of the interior of the naval vessels; hardy, rough and adaptable. Sheet vinyl floors, insulated aluminium walls and industrial suspended fans. A lack of preciousness invites future change, adaptation and evolution for future curators and visitors.
Explore the interiors of The Waterfront Pavilion.
Quotes
| Kevin Sumption | Director and CEO, Australian National Maritime Museum |
“The fjmt management of the design in relation to our very tight Cost and Budget constraints was exceptional. This complex museum pavilion, sited over the water, met all budget limitations without compromise, and is a great success. The complex exhibition brief with virtual experience space, interface with Naval vessels and sensitive visitor and safety requirements have been beautifully resolved in the fjmt design, to give us a facility of functional and operational excellence. Life cycle requirements were an integral element of fjmt’s design management methodology, promoting a rigorous and close working relationship with the Museum to give us balanced and informed design decisions.” |
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Awards
| 2017 | Chicago Athenaeum, International Architecture Awards | International Architecture Award | |
| 2016 | World Architecture Festival | Display category winner | |
| 2016 | Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter) | Public Architecture, commendation | |
| 2016 | World Architecture Festival | Completed Buildings: Civic and Community, shortlist | |
Press
| 20 Jun 2020 | Arch2O | The Waterfront Pavilion, Australian National Maritime Museum | FJMT Studio | |
| 18 Nov 2016 | ArchitectureAU | Australians victorious at 2016 WAF Awards | |
| 17 Nov 2016 | Architecture & Design | WAF day one: FJMT take Australia’s first category prize | |
| 1 Jul 2016 | ArchitectureAU | 2016 NSW Architecture Awards | |
| 2 Jun 2016 | ArchitectureAU | In shipshape: The Waterfront Pavilion | |
| 27 Apr 2016 | Australian Design Review | WWI centenary marked by nautical museum | |
| 5 Apr 2016 | ArchDaily | The Waterfront Pavilion, Australian National Maritime Museum / FJMT Studio | |
