MULTIPURPOSE SPORTS HALL GIVES YOUTH CAMP FOCUS

Accessible only by boat, Milson Island Sport and Recreation Centre showcases sweeping views of the Hawkesbury River and boasts manicured lawns, towering palms and landscaped gardens burst with colour and inhabited by a rich birdlife.

Located just 1 hour north of Sydney, the MISRC offers sports organisations access to sporting and training facilities, with onsite accommodation. The playing fields are well-kept and offer a host of sporting activities and team training opportunities. A state-of-the-art multisports facility suitable for basketball, netball or volleyball is joined by a 25-metre swimming pool and grassed area offering space for skills training and conditioning sessions.

The centre’s remote location makes it free from distraction, ideal for team leadership camps and development squads in preparation for competition. It’s even ideal for weekend matches or team training camps, with catered accommodation options available for groups.

The crown in the jewel is the centre’s multiuse sports hall. “The brief for the building called for a robust multipurpose sports hall to be used for indoor sports such as basketball, netball and volleyball, as well as theatre and dance performances and exhibitions. But its real purpose is to allow anyone who comes to this place to participate and have lots of fun while doing it, regardless of their physical or mental capabilities,” claim the architects.

“The building was inspired by the traditional canoe used by aborigines on the Hawkesbury River. These canoes were made from a single piece of bark, stripped from a Stringybark tree, seasoned over a fire and shaped by branches. Upturned and propped off the ground the canoe, in its frugality, demonstrated the essence of shelter.

“The shape of the building emerged from thermodynamic analysis, a study of side wind forces on site, the need to shed leaves yet collect water, and the enclosure requirements. The use of natural thermal ventilation generated the roof shape, as smooth airflow required a clean, crisp interior skin. There are no visible ridges, eaves, gutters, downpipes or skylights on the exterior. The continuous wall/roof shape dispenses with gutters, reducing maintenance and removing a major bush-fire hazard. Rainwater, freed from the blockage of leaves and branches, falls directly into rock gardens for natural filtering and collection,” they explained.

Wanting the building to slot gently into the site, AJC Architects positioned the building into a pocket between two lines of trees. In doing so, the firm recreated the roll of a ridge previously located on the site, helping to reduce the perceived scale of the building. A combination of twelve wind turbines and a series of floor-mounted louvres ensures the building remains cool in Sydney's fierce summer heat. In winter, with the turbines and louvres closed, a heat plume forms to act like an insulation blanket.

Attached amenities and storage modules service the fireplace, the bushwalking activities and the oval. They also serve to define a clear and strong entry space to the hall. Natural light from the roof windows, ground level slot windows and end walls create an almost art gallery-like feel to the hall.

Images courtesy of AJC Architest via Archdaily