Ski n Skurf

Ski n Skurf is a fast-track rebuild after fire razed the original building. The task was to design, document, gain Council approval and complete construction within a sixteen week time period prior to Christmas 1994.
The original building had been placed on a narrow spit of land between the two man-made cable ski lakes. After the fire the new building was designed to sit on the original piles that had remained intact. Although new planning arrangements were designed to improve efficiency and ease of operation the new building had to accommodate the old footing layout. The solution to the different programs was a new building platform constructed to a new more flexible structural grid.
The structure above the piles consists of an enlarged version of the plywood fin wall frame system previously developed by the architects, which is surrounded by a series of simple verandah and ancillary spaces.
Building materials such as plywood, fibre cement, zincalume custom orb, and polycarbonate were chosen for their qualities of lightness, strength and durability.
The new building has been described by others as a ‘culture house’ – creating a series of casual, light and vibrant verandah like spaces for its primarily young surf oriented users.

RAIA Awards

1995 (Qld) Tourism Award
1995 (National) Commercial Award

Design+Completion: 1994
Place: Bli Bli, Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Client: Proost + De Deyne families
Consultant: McWilliam Consulting Engineers
Builder: Welch Contracting
Photography: Adrian Boddy