A design for a new public amenities and cafe building overlooking Coogee Beach in Sydney has been approved by Randwick Council. According to a press release from the architect, Sam Crawford Architects (SCA), the new pavilion is set to replace "a dilapidated building to better serve visitors," and will commence construction 2027-28.
SCA director Sam Crawford commented that the practice's design "is inspired by the Coogee coastline, First Nations Songlines, and the seaweed that gives Coogee its name," resulting from collaboration with Indigenous practice Bangawarra to embed Connecting with Country principles throughout the project.
Comprised of three, single-level modules, the forthcoming building houses male, female, accessible and all-gender bathrooms - doubling the existing facilities - alongside storage, a bus stop, and a new cafe with outdoor dining. This program is contained beneath a curved concrete roof.
According to SCA's media release, the arced form reflects the shape of the coastline, separating a busy main street from the coastal ecosystem.
"The building is sited between two significant headlands, within a significant ceremonial nexus, honouring and providing for ceremonial practice for local Aboriginal people," the release notes. "The natural geology of erosion is referenced in softened structural edges, which create three discrete elements unified under the singular canopy. This dissolves the building mass, reducing the bulk and scale, creates a sense of openness, opens up sight lines, draws people to the beach, and maximises passive surveillance. These 'incisions' also support ceremonial connections to Songlines."
The design employs a palette of durable materials, including face brickwork, anodised aluminium battens and stainless steel, alongside a U-glass facade system. Glazed brick patterning along the proposed facade references local turbo shells, while the pavement and floor textures convey a Dharawal story about the traditional management of the local seaweed. The vision for the landscape includes seating embedded within gardens of endemic planting, designed by Oculus.
Crawford noted, "The design embraces its unique context and demands of the marine environment with high quality fixtures, providing an improved experience for the millions of visitors to Coogee."
