Page 36 - Tropic Magazine Issue 15

TROPIC • COVER STORY

delicious goods on Florence St, the ARTS HUB OF THE
first time the street has been closed to
traffic. The free event will incorporate a NORTH
performance by legendary jazz musician
James Morrison inside Munro Martin Mayor Bob Manning said CPAC will deliver
Parklands, with locals encouraged a state-of-the-art facility our community
to bring a picnic blanket, grab some has been waiting a very long time for.
food and a drink and enjoy the night’s When combined with the Parklands, the
entertainment under the stars. new Gallery Precinct in the CBD, and the
recently redeveloped Cairns Museum,
CPAC will also help deliver on council’s
vision to position Cairns as the Arts and
Culture Capital of Northern Australia.
“The state-of-the art Cairns Performing
Arts Centre will deliver the sort of
facility our community has been
waiting for,” Cr Manning told Tropic.
“In just a few months the Munro
Martin Parklands (MMP) has become
a favourite for Cairns residents and
visitors to our city to attend unique
open air events and concerts as well as
picnics during the day.

Tropical Expression 5. There should be increased revenue to provide a significant new civic
opportunities to offset capital costs and offering to both the theatre and city
We talk to Cox Rayner and operating expenditure. more broadly.
CA Architects, the design The architectural strategies in place to
masterminds behind the support these principles include: LIGHT MEDIATION
stunning CPAC structure. The Foyer architecture mediates
A BUILDING IN THE LANDSCAPE between extremes in light conditions
What’s unique about the building? A form that responds to the inherently and uses light variation to enhance
It is rare to be involved in such an tropical Cairns context and its direct interior foyer spaces.
important scheme for the cultural future relationship with the Munro Martin
of a community. This project responds Parklands. MATERIAL PRINCIPLES
to the cultural demands of Cairns and The use of sustainable locally sourced
the region and when paired with Munro A BUILDING OF TROPICAL timbers to provide warmth to design.
Martin Parklands provides amazing EXPRESSION
flexibility in the type and number of An architecture that employs passive What was the greatest challenge of the
productions that can now occur in the environmental techniques appropriate project?
city. The new building provides a much to its environment and spaces to The building presents significant
broader range of functionality than integrate with and relate to natural technical challenges due to the
the previous building and is extremely features of the surrounding landscape. operations of the theatrical production
well placed in relation to regional and associated with the flytower,
national facilities. AN ORGANIC EXPRESSION lighting, acoustics and mechanical
New spaces are visually engaging and performance. The challenge is to
How did you achieve balance between dynamic, forming a junction between deal with this in a way where no-
aesthetics and functionality? natural exterior environments and one gives a single thought to these
Functionality drives the scheme, and with existing building forms. complexities as they are engrossed in
Cairns Regional Council we determined a performance.
the following principles for the project: A BUILDING BASED ON INTERIOR
1. The venue should be inclusive AND EXTERIOR CONNECTIONS What will CPAC mean to Cairns going
2. The venue should be welcoming Verandah-like foyer spaces to forward?
3. The venue should be flexible support strong connections between The Cairns Performing Arts Centre is
4. The venue should be technically interior and exterior environment. a project capable of transforming the
appropriate These spaces have the potential cultural offer in Cairns and for the region.

36 • Tropic • Issue 15