larapinta trail youth hostel | glen helen gorge, northern territory
Designed in 2015, the brief asked for a 70 person youth hostel for the Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory. The concept of social adaption was embraced through the easy to construct timber frame and canvas clad pods which were influenced by the geometry of the locally found Cycad seed and the spread of Buffel grass. Much like this weed, the Larapinta Youth Hostel Pods follow the paths of water (along the stream leading to the gorge) and animal movement (paths taken by visitors) and can be assembled and disassembled easily.
The pods can be left individually as 2 person spaces or up against each other to create larger sleeping dorms . The timber frame structures are scattered through the landscape and when they are required to be occupied they can be simply clad in canvas sheets. Thin and translucent, the pods provide a blurred barrier between the user and the outback.
Contrasting with the undulating, naturally formed surface beneath, the long flat roof of the main social hub imitates the ‘forever’ nature of the Australian outback. Loosely applied fabric flows in the wind and creates unlimited change in light and space.
UWA Masters Studio | July 2015