Small but exquisite is perhaps the best description for the new Maidstone tennis pavilion by Searle X Waldron Architecture, likely the smallest project this writer has covered.
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It's not the size that matters, but the quality, and this pint-sized project, recipient of the Kevin Borland Award from the Australian Institute of Architects (Victorian Chapter), punches well above its weight.
Only seven square metres in area, the timber-clad amenity attached to the tennis pavilion is clearly a contemporary addition that responds to the 1917 building.
"The tennis pavilion originally came from the bowling club at Sunshine and was relocated to this site in the 1950s," says architect Suzannah Waldron, a director of the practice, who worked closely with co-director Nick Searle. "From what we've been told, the Sunshine bowling club wanted a larger building," says Searle.
When the modest timber pavilion was later extended in the 1990s to create another gable, the result was less than satisfactory.
"The new windows didn't align to the existing pavilion and a servery-style window was simply 'punched' through in what was thought be a convenient location.
Having the pavilion left idle for a number of years certainly didn't improve the situation. So, when Searle X Waldron Architecture first inspected the pavilion there was little clarity as to what had been added and what had been removed.
"We were fortunate to discover a number of old photos at the start of this project," says Waldron, pointing out the gents wearing baggy trousers and braces with bowling balls in tow.
The brief from Maribyrnong Council was to refurbish and "make good" the existing pavilion and include a new kitchen in the clubroom, but also to rework the verandah (previously a slab of cracked concrete) and add a new bathroom/change area.
A concealed rubbish bin compound and storage area also formed part of the council's brief. Many architects may be tempted to "sniff" at such a small commission: however, Searle X Waldron Architecture was keen to deliver something more than just a rudimentary offering.
"We saw this project as adding to the pavilion's history, in a sense another 'gable' that would add to the rhythm of the façade," says Waldron, pointing out the timber fretwork of the pavilion's original gables.
The contemporary freestanding addition appears relatively simple from the exterior's perspective. Its angular timber form, with faceted walls, is clad in spotted gum, also angled. The angled timber is not only evocative of the 1970s, but, in particular, of the late Kevin Borland's work.
However, in contrast to the exterior, the interior of the bathroom/change room is Zen-like with its peppermint linoleum floor and carcass-like timber walls. Illuminated by a frosted green corrugated fibreglass skylight, this modest space is truly sublime. And to ensure natural ventilation, the architects included small gaps between the timbers at the upper level.
While this modest-sized space doesn't include a shower, just a toilet and a vanity, there is a built-in timber bench to allow players to sit and change. The architects also treated the veranda as more than simply a place to get out of the sun. Complete with built-in benches, also made from spotted gum, the "threads" have truly been stitched together.
"When we were designing this project, we didn't particularly see it as small but as something that could add another layer to the pavilion's history," says Waldron. "Why should the design be compromised just because it's small?" adds Searle.
