Friendly Beaches Lodge on the East Coast of Tasmania represents an instance where the impact of development has been deliberately minimised; indeed, the ecological value of this site sees it subject to a conservation covenant. Considering the environmental value I was interested in exploring interactions between the buildings and their natural surroundings. Such liminal zones were of interest as they had the potential to magnify the effects of exchanges owing to the contrasting features of the two adjacent ecosystems.
Identifying that saplings had been removed to maintain a buffer zone around the lodges motivated a creative response that consisted of ‘reconstructing’ some of these removed saplings. Having these artificial trees link the stump and lodge emphasised this exchange, while a degree of authenticity was maintained by using an appropriate species of salvaged timber. The extended time spent working on site allowed new knowledge regarding local characteristics to be incorporated into a second construction; a development that permitted a more sympathetic and relevant aesthetic response.
