Winner – 2015 AIA Awards – Regional Prize (QLD)
Winner – 2015 AIA Awards – People Choice Award (QLD)
Winner – 2015 Shortlist Bluescope Steel State Award
Located on the outskirts of Cairns in the picturesque suburb of Caravonica, the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum is a unique tourist attraction featuring a private collection of tanks, armour and artillery from World Wars I and II.
JMc Architects was engaged to design the building, which represented an adaptation of the classic tin storage shed typology into a welcoming tourist destination that complements other nearby attractions.
Operating within the framework of cold formed steel, we developed our client’s vision to incorporate an entry foyer, assembly area, artillery display, shooting gallery, retail area and ancillary offices.
A first for this cyclonic region, the museum is a well-considered response to the brief for a quality warfare attraction and Far North Queensland tourist destination.
Responsive to its location and environment, the built form picks up the cues of the agricultural typology and linear landforms. It works at two scales: the entry addresses the street with a lower articulated roof to create an inviting entryway, while the building’s design form operates on a larger scale. Visible from afar, the parapet features and signage float above the line of the cane fields and stand out against the nearby mountains.
Photography: Andrew Watson
