Architectural Design Studio 4 - Coogee Community Centre - Submission 1

The purpose of this Submission is represent the aspect of "Mapping and Tracing" of the site within its social and cultural context.

The site we are going to build on is the Coogee Oval, which is sited on Coogee Beach, surrounded by Arden, Brook Alfreda and Dolphin Street.

The Oval was a sand dunes fed by a freshwater creek that discharged at Coogee Beach. Since there are still occasional flooding, thus the site is not recommended as a residential development site. It is now proposed(as our design studio 4) to build a Community Centre for the local community and visitors to use.

From research, Coogee district shown relation with Aborigines culture. Prior the Euproean Settlement in 1838, this place was occupied by Aboriginal population. The "Coogee" name came from Aborigines word thats mean "stinky", probably the stink from the decayed seaweeds that were often wash on to the beach.

With the attractive Coogee Beach and the establishment of hotels accommodation, public school and tramway (demolished in 1960), the population of Coogee raised to around 5000 in year 2000 and served as a tourist attraction.

We started our Site Analysis - Mapping and Tracing, from interpretation of the 5 Categories/Words, regarding the site:

1. Reciprocity
2. Materiality
3. Threshold
4. Insertion
5. Infrastructure

1. Reciprocity

*if the pictures of this blog are now shown properly, please right click and select view picture



- The Sunpath suggest that if the required Cafe is positioned on the top left corner of the site due to adherent and maximum exposure to the commercial district to the left, the possible positioning of the main hall building may overshadowed the Cafe. The high and shape of the main hall is important not to block any sunlight which is essential to the Cafe. Also, the Cafe can employ skylight roof, or materials that are transparent to light, such as glass with steels to maximize green natural light.


- The site is like a 'flat sink' where surroundings contour are greater, except to the beach side. This give the site a great value to have a visual obstacle-free and broad view to the beach.
For the Community Centre design, we should open views to the beach, less enclosure is better. Suggesting curtain wall facade facing the beach, and a 'platform' high above ground (2-3 levels) to maximize the enjoyment of the view.


-From the site conture, we can see the dynamic of the landscape and the airflow. Combining these their tendency, we can create the shape of the building mass and volume that show harmony with the landscape.



- The site is within 500M from the ocean water, therefore rusting of metal is very rigorous. However, we can intentionally using some rusting element (non-structural) to reflect the saltiness of the ocean water. Large sculptural is ideal.

2. Materiality



- The Oval is in the Active and Energetic Zone with the Commercial Area and the Beach Area, therefore we must keep the site as part of the energetic and active area. Three elements are very important to create an active and energetic atmosphere, these are Sunlight, Wind flow, and Water flow. If these three elements can be reflected or used in the building as constructional or decorative materials of the building, we will feel the energy and activeness.











Different materials behave differently to sunlight. their differences in ability to let sunlight pass through can generated different atmosphere of a space.

The choice of materials for the Community Centre should be local, it symbolically includes the beach water, trees, sandstone and man-made materials such as concrete and bricks.

Water is a flow liquid, transparent and diffuse sunlight.
Water can be used as decorative element such as waterspring, or represented as water running down a curtain wall.



- Trees are flexible and their waving let us "see" the invisible wind. Its leave and branches seems translucent and cast soft and irregular shadows on the ground.
Good representations of tress and wind are timber as construction material, timber windscreen etc.


- Man-made materials such as concrete, bricks are opaque materials, the cast strong and contrasting shadows. They are good building materials for enclosure, and for spaces that need privacy.


Sandstones are made of millions of sand particles under high pressure over time. Looking at one sandstone we can feel the pressure at its center, its like gathering of millions of sand particles.
Symbolically the stone can represent the gathering of the community, where 1 sand particle represent 1 person. It can also represent the Aboriginal tradition of gathers around a fireplace. This give us an idea of sandstone fireplace at the center of the community centre.

3. Threshold

If we like to separate or distinguish two different areas, we can insert a threshold in between them, such as the sandstone dwarf wall between the beach and oval. However if we want to remain some connection between them, we can insert a "gradual threshold" or a transition zone. This is more relaxing and the open space is such example.


This will applied to the essential connection between the site and the child play area next to the site. (the reason will be covered in the Infrastructure Category)


- Arrays of tress are "vague" thresholds which are similar to the gradual threshold. Unlike strong threshold such as a wall and high fences, the tress allow you to walk pass them but at the same time it give one sense of entering another zone.

This idea can be applied to the design of building by using columns instead of a wall to separate two areas.


4. Insertion




-Insertion of roundabout not just can dissolve and fuse two thresholds (roads) together and smoothing the traffic, but its circulation suggested the programs and spaces of the community centre cold be circle around one point or space, this could be the entry or the main hall.
This also symbolically representing the dissolving of different group of people in the community, and represent the the Aboriginal tradition of gathering.

- Insertion and positioning of the commercial area means that any resident would most likely walk pass the oval to do their shopping or to the beach. There is a great chance of them bumming into a sporting match unintentionally, and would be curious and feel like to sit down for a few minutes or so to enjoy the game. Therefore seatings around the oval are ideal.


- The current entry location can often cause a bottleneck effect easily if there a function. Another entry at the side can share the load and can be helpful to minimize the bottleneck effect.

5. Infrastructure


- As a community centre, it should accommodate a diverse of age group, from few years old to elderlies. A community centre for the whole family! To do this, we can make use of the child play area next to the site, so that the parents can bring their children along.





- The heritage sandstone dwarf wall walking path along the beach promote public health. We can do the same in the community centre.



- A grandstand can allow the public to participate and engaged to the atmospheres and spirit of the game, this also tighten the relationship between people and within the community.

We should have a grandstand or something similar, either keep the exisitng old one or build a new one.