1+2 Architecture acknowledges the Palawa people as the traditional custodians of lutruwita, the lands on which our company is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. We are committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.
Eagles Eyrie
LOCATION + TRADITIONAL COUNTRY
The Palawa, Maydena, Tasmania
CLIENT
Not applicable
STATUS
Built (2009)
AWARDS
2010 Award for Public Buildings – Australian Timber Design Awards - Southern Region (VIC/TAS)
media
Timber Design Australasia (Q2, 2011), pp.20-22
PHOTOGRAPHY
Perched on an alpine ridge 1,100 metres above sea level, Eagles Eyrie was designed to nestle into its dramatic ridgeline setting, minimising visual impact while enhancing the experience of breathtaking panoramic views across the surrounding mountain ranges and forest.
Now part of what is known as Maydena Bike Park, the building responds to an extraordinary but demanding location, where extreme weather, restricted access and stringent environmental protection requirements shaped the architectural approach.
KEY COLLABORATORS
+ Builder:
+ Structural + Hydraulic Engineering:
+ Electrical / Mechanical / Communication Engineering:
TBS Engineering Consultants
+ Fire Engineering:
SEMF
+ Building Surveyor:
Place
Located at Abbott's Lookout, Eagles Eyrie sits on a ridge running between the Styx and Tyenna Valleys, on the fringe of Tasmania's south-west wilderness.
The exposed alpine setting presented considerable challenges, including extreme cold, snow and very high wind speeds. Vehicle access was restricted, while environmental protection requirements limited construction activity to a perimeter of just one to two metres around the building façade, within a landscape of large boulders and dense vegetation that was extremely difficult to traverse.
These constraints called for an approach that would minimise disturbance to the surrounding landscape while allowing the building to withstand the conditions of its remote location.
Process
The innovative use of timber construction was central to overcoming the project's complexities, with a limited budget and challenging site conditions driving an approach that maximised off-site prefabrication and simplified on-site assembly.
Concrete pad footings and a suspended floor slab were selected to minimise site impact, negotiate the rocky terrain and provide bushfire resistance. The slab also created a firm, trafficable working platform for the assembly of the composite timber structure.
A bespoke prefabricated timber wall panel system was developed using stud panels with interlocking vertical joints, threaded rod tie-downs and extensive plywood bracing. This simple but effective system allowed manageable, lightweight panels to be transported and assembled on site while providing the strength needed to resist extreme wind loads. Plywood of varying grades served as both structural wall bracing and finished internal lining.
Externally, traditional rough-sawn vertical timber boarding provided a rustic, visually recessive cladding. The vertical board-and-batten system also concealed the prefabricated panel joints, creating a seamless external appearance. A grey-tinted preservative was applied to the timber, helping maintain a consistent appearance as the façade gradually weathers to a silver-grey finish.
Impact
Originally conceived as a tourist lookout, Eagles Eyrie offers visitors an opportunity to experience the dramatic alpine landscape and panoramic views of Tasmania's south-west wilderness. Its later integration into Maydena Bike Park has given the building a new role as a summit destination for mountain bikers and sightseers.
Awards + Jury Citation
