Jury Verdict
Pee Wees is Troppo Architects at
their best. It is a Darwin building: its
site, design, materials and construction
are all unmistakably part of the tropical
north. It is not just a restaurant but a
café, function centre and ‘mess’ for the
growing army of recreational users at
Pee Wee Point. A light, ephemeral
structure which appears to float flimsily
is actually anchored solidly with a
concealed steel structure to resist
cyclone conditions.
It features feathered cantilevering and
Custom Orb zincalume, contrasting
precise modern engineering with
vernacular materials. The natural light
available through the high southern
clerestorey provides a bright interior
ambience. Views to the sea and Fanny
Bay are maximised, with a hierarchy of
seating options from indoors to
verandah, patio, lawn and shore.
It is an imaginative and beautiful design
rooted in the traditions of the site and
the Territory and representing both an
excellent commercial solution and a
sensitive interaction with the locale.
Environment Citation
This restaurant is remarkable for its
respect of and interaction with the
historic site. Its placement, orientation,
materials and climate strategies (within
tropical cyclone restrictions) also demonstrate environmental
responsibility. In straddling the concrete
slabs on which previous sheds were
built, it acknowledges the texture of the
existing building and historic elements.
The only air conditioning is in the
kitchen and the water is heated by
solar methods with gas boosting. Lack
of air conditioning in the public spaces
is overcome by the openness of the
building and the ceiling fans.
The project demonstrates passive
cooling techniques for the tropics,
including excellent cross-ventilation,
shading, sheltering of walls and
openings and use of heat-reflective
materials.
This project deserves the Environment
Citation for its simple approach to a
difficult problem which is too often
solved by closing off the interior from
the natural environment.
It sets a benchmark for such buildings
in the hot, humid tropics.
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