iredale pedersen hook architects and Advanced Timber Concepts Studio.

Pingelly is a small town in the ‘Wheatbelt’ of Western Australia [WA] established in 1860, with a current population of around 1200. The term ‘Wheatbelt ’refers to the primary industry of farming sheep, wheat and other cereal crops. Pingelly Shire is faced with many of the issues that are common to farming in WA: a drying climate, salt-contaminated soils, and an aging population.
Sport has always played a pivotal social and cultural role in both the Wadjela (white) and the Aboriginal communities. The community is made up of 12.4% First Nation people and the town is the proud home of the “Pingelly Tigers”, the first all Aboriginal Australian Rules Football team which was formed in the 1960s when Aboriginal people were prohibited from playing alongside Wadjela, or the white settlers.
The facility consists of four pavilions linked by a long verandah. The verandah faces east and provides an activity zone, shelter from the winds and the sun and acts as a viewing platform to watch field sports on the oval or lawn bowls to the north.
External verandah spaces are utilised extensively to provide flexible spaces for year-round activities. All zones are fully accessible for wheelchair and assisted users.
The verandah space is articulated to form a large “breezeway” welcome area between the two larger pavilions; and at the southern end forms covered outdoor activity areas for social gatherings, barbecues and a children’s playground.
The Multi-Function Sports Hall is a portal frame structure spanning 28.5 meters using a Pinus radiata LVL box construction system. The floor and deck structure throughout the complex comprises LVL bearers and joists using a dovetailed mortice and tenon assembly requiring no mechanical fixings.
The Sports Hall is lined with timber “Cassettes” that face recycled insulation batts which provide a high level of thermal insulation and acoustic absorbance- making the space suitable for performances, larger events as well as sports games. There are 4 full bay-width doors that open to naturally ventilate the hall. Large ceiling fans assist with air circulation and the southwest elevation is clad with a translucent corrugated fibreglass material to allow even daylighting.
A key element in the concept design was the need for a sustainable, memorable building - that is easily maintained, and flexible enough to meet the current and future needs of the community. The decision to use plantation hardwood in flooring, decking, cladding and panelling in such a way that it is protected from the elements as far as possible, or is used in robust sections that allow for some surface degradation over time is key to this.
1000 tonnes of mature plantation Yellow Stringy Bark logs were purchased from the South West Forests and processed locally. This material forms the decking and exposed exterior cladding milled in thick sections to resist the harsh climate. Finishing treatment is a simple light oil mix in both the Sports Hall and the Function Centre.

iredale pedersen hook architects and Advanced Timber Concepts Studio.

Credits:
- iph architects - Design + Documentation - Rebecca Angus
- iph architects - Design + Documentation - Fred Chan
- iph architects - Design + Documentation - Sinan Pirie
- iph architects - Design + Documentation - Jordan Blagaich
- iph architects - Project Director - Finn Pedersen
- iph architects - Design + Documentation - Jason Lenard
- iph architects - Design Director - Adrian Iredale
- iph architects - Design + Documentation - Rebecca Hawkett
- iph architects - Design - Martyn Hook
- iph architects - Project Architect - Tom See-Hoo
- iph architects - Design + Documentation - Catherine Dupuy
- ATC Studio - Design + Documentation - Tara Moore
- ATC Studio - Design+Documentation - Tobias Beale
- ATC Studio - Project Director - Patrick Beale
- iph architects - Design + Documentation - Craig Nener