New South Wales
The Stealth Pavilion is situated in the garden of Caerleon, an important example of the Queen Anne style architecture. We have worked on its restoration and adaptation over a period of 12 years.
The current brief was to design a garden pavilion to house a home gymnasium that could be adapted to provide separate guest accommodation should needs change.
The design for a garden pavilion had numerous constraints as the house, garden, gate posts and five specific trees are all heritage-listed.
Our approach to limit impact on the heritage significance was to disguise the pavilion by locating its two wings within a grove of mature trees and by cladding it in bronze mirror to reflect the surrounding foliage.
The pavilion was commissioned pre-Covid to provide us with functional work out space, that could be transformed to equally purposeful home office and/or guest accommodation. Its purpose was elevated and tested as we entered two years of disruption. The space became a focal point for our extended family who sought refuge and alternate workout options to give them a place to train, meditate, and seek refuge and interruption from lockdown realities. Such was the design and construction outcome, that it not only provided a functional versatile space, but it calmed, inspired, and changed habits for all that used it.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
