01 Sutherland Entertainment CentreMajor Refurbishment

5 20100

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Sutherland Entertainment CentreMajor Refurbishment

Urban Planning Context

Site Plan

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Materiality

SutherlandEntertainment

Centre

Transport Connections

SEC is well served by transport connections with Sutherland train station and bus stops only 200m to the west. Despite this, given the patron demographic a large proportion of travel to the site is by car and will likely be the case for the foreseeable future. Any proposed redevelopment of the carpark site would continue to provide carparking for the SEC in this location.

Critically the centre must address and capture patrons arriving from the east, west and north of the site

Responsive to Adjacent Development

Under current development controls, the site of the Council administration building has potential for a 30m or 9 storey limits, while the Flora St and potential amalgamated Eton St sites could have building height up to 40m or 12 twelve storeys. In each case residential apartments would be the predominant land use with minor retail or commercial uses at street level together with opportunity for community uses or place of worship.

The site is also part of a ribbon of community uses running north south. The proposed massing of the building and the movement through and around the building consider both the existing and proposed conditions.

Improved Pedestrian Connections

Key pedestrian links occur along Flora St and through peace park to the train station. Eton St is also a pedestrian prioritised zone.

The proposal should enhance the amenity of both pedestrian routes. Landscaping adjacent Eton St and within peace park should consider grading to ensure accessibility throughout Peace Park and Eton St

The pedestrian upgrades will ensure the success of the new café and encourage further rejuvenation of Eton St and Merton St

Respecting Heritage

Several heritage items surround the site and have been considered in developing the proposal

The key heritage references in our design include:

Responding the existing geometry related to the cenotaph

Ensuring appropriate scale and setback to the adjacent church

Although the existing SEC is not on the heritage register it does have architectural Merit requiring consideration. We have developing a materials pallet that responds sympathetically to the existing palette.

Rejuvenated Green Space

The site currently turns its back on Peace Park which is the Sutherland commercial cores primary open space. The existing retaining walls and path chop the park into a number of discreet spaces of varying quality and usability.

Events such as Music in the Park face the memorial with seating on the steps radiated away from the stage

The resculpting of Peace Park will create a contiguous space for gatherings of various scales.

Activating the Public Domain

The existing Sutherland Entertainment Centre turns its back on Peace Park due to the adjacent development on lot 8 at the time of construction. This has created a poor relationship to the current Peace Park. The existing forecourt as it addresses Eton St is tired and the entry is tucked away and not highly visible.

The proposal aims to maximise the extent of activation to both Eton St and Peace Park whilst creating a clearly identifi able entry to the building.

The new entry, café, roof terraces and stage door all now address the Peace Park. A new forecourt and building foyer address and create a civic quality to Eton St. Merton St is upgrade with a modest new facade and carefully controlled openings of a domestic scale to relate to the future adjacent development.

Legend

1. The Meeting Tree2. Foyer3. Cafe4. Theatre Seating5. Stage6. Meeting Room7. Amenities8. Bar9. Green Room10. Back of House11. Loading Dock12. Kitchen13. Trap Room14. Orchestra Pit15. Stage Door16. Plant17. Room Terrace18. Admin19. Followspot Room20. Control Room

View from Peace Park towards the Meeting Tree

02 Sutherland Entertainment CentreMajor Refurbishment

5 20100

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The Awning of Embrace

A sculpted, landscape awning running east to west creates an all-encompassing embrace to Peace Park, Eton St & Merton St. Users arriving from any direction are welcomed and guided to the meeting tree inviting them to leave behind the stress of the day.

Our proposal sensitively resolves the topography to eliminate scaring and unsightly retaining structures and ensure all these approaches are universally accessible.

The Meeting Tree

We have retained as many signifi cant trees and possible. The most prominent gum tree is used to create a unifi ed entry for users arriving from Eton St, Merton St or Peace Park. The tree as marker and meeting place creates a calming energy further preparing audiences for the experiences to come. This shared community memory of the tree can live on and ensures the new foyers are now connected to nature.

Connected Gathering Places

Pin wheeling from the meeting tree are the gathering places that build the feelingsof anticipation:

The terraces landscape the unifi es peace park into a contiguous space for outdoor events

A new triple height insertion that connects all foyer levels visually and house the new accessible vertical circulation

The café spills into the foyer and peace park

Peace Park and Eton St are activated by the building’s foyer and café constructed of continuous glazing and with multiple openings creating a memorable and enjoyable community place.

An Auditorium for Exchange

Currently the seating disconnects the performers and audience from one another and indeed the audience in the stalls from the balcony. Critically people must be reconnected to create an intimate connection between audiences and performer.

The seating has been gutted and newly raked seating will achieve optimal sightlines. Acoustic panelling has been added to control the acoustics of the room and rejuvenate the theatre experience. Importantly dignifi ed and equitable access is now provided from the seating to the stage.

A Functional Stage House

Having taken people on the journey and prepared them for transcendence the show must be capable of meeting the expectation. The back of house and stage must be functional and suit the needs of a whole variety of shows.

Somewhat counter intuitively, theatres need to be designed from the back-door in. A rebuilt loading dock, stage and back of house is cleanly attached to the existing retained structure ensuring the performer experience is as seamless and easy to navigate as the audience.The loading dock and stage connection is established and set the levels for the seating and foyers to work to.

Architectural PrinciplesFloorplans

Level 3 Floorplan

Level 2 Floorplan

Ground Floorplan

Level 1 Floorplan

Basement Floorplan

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03 Sutherland Entertainment CentreMajor Refurbishment

Short Section

West Elevation

View from entry

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04 Sutherland Entertainment CentreMajor Refurbishment

Long Section

North Elevation

View of atrium