Dragon Boat Club and Boat Building School

The aim of this project is to adaptively design the premises of 1-3 Bank St in Pyrmont as a Dragon Boat Club and Boat-building School. This facility is where members of the club will meet, train and pass on the tradition of dragon boating. In addition to the club the new facility will provide space for building and learning how to craft traditional wooden dragon boats, and will include office spaces for its staff, a café and exhibition space.

The overarching theme for this transformation, “Memory and Forgetting”, will assist to bridge an understanding between the old and new, between holding on and letting go, and between existing and future needs. The site presents an opportunity for the sustainable adaptive reuse of a set of buildings of varying heights for urban redevelopment rooted in industrial heritage, prioritising reuse, sustainable design, historical connections and functionality for the dragon boat community.

Challenges included - regulations, environmental concerns (including soil and water), building condition and material preservation.

Opportunities included - waterfront proximity and integration, mixed-use potential, urban revitalisation and historical significance.