City Beach Surf Club

City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black

CITY BEACH SURF CLUB

Christou Design Group

ARCHITECTS
Christou Design Group

YEAR
2016

PHOTOGRAPHS
Douglas Mark Black, Saltywings

CATEGORY
Recreation & Training

AREA
4000.0 m²

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Pritchard Francis

CIVIL ENGINEER
Pritchard Francis

LOCATION
City Beach, Australia

BUILDING SURVEYOR
John Massey Group

GABRIELS ENVIRONMENTAL
Section J

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
4 Landscape Studio

MECHANICAL ENGINEER
GHD

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
BEST

HYDRAULIC ENGINEER
GHD

QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Aquenta

City Beach Surf Club
© Saltywings
City Beach Surf Club
© Saltywings

Text description provided by architect.

The project was commissioned through an architectural competition. The initial brief for the project required a single two storey building comprising of a surf club at ground level and a first floor commercial space.

City Beach Surf Club
© Saltywings
City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black

The CHRISTOU scheme challenged the brief and offered a composition of orchestrated buildings, framing a new public space and capturing views of the expansive Indian Ocean coastline.

The design was inspired by the rugged coastline, the beach and the icon.

City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black
City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black

The intensification of a coastal outpost, carving out space from the dunes.

The project includes; a dedicated surf club at the edge of the ocean, three commercial pavilions and alfresco decking areas, extensive green roof, landscaped plaza and street, and sea wall constructed to a depth of RL -1.0 extending from the groyne in the south to the boardwalk in the north.

City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black
City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black

The design nestles into the site, working the topography to create a sequence of programmatic datums; transitioning from arrival, hospitality, public space, promenade and beach.

At all times the lure of the ocean is present through framed and expansive views of this iconic destination.

City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black
City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black

The linear surf club, hidden from view on arrival, emerges from the south as a low-slung angled wall projecting itself north onto the beach, extending the ecology of the dune with extensive landscaped green roof and lookout. The surf club wall providing shelter and amplifying the sound of the ocean along the promenade.

The commercial buildings, appearing as a series of low-slung transparent pavilions, are set back fromx the surf club and wrap the plaza to the south, creating a protected internal street and public courtyard for the tenancy.

City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black
City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black

The pavilions are broken, the gaps between, framing views of the coast, the groyne and lookout tower, filtering wind, and creating an arrival zone which allows for the scheme to evolve in the future.

The public space cascades from south to north, beginning as a protected courtyard, opening into a protected outdoor amphitheater with full views to the beach northward.

City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black
City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black

Existing pine trees were relocated to create shade within the public space and preserve the character of the landscape on the site.

The scheme merges the rugged coastal topography, architecture, and landscape open space, to create a singular expression; land form and built form become one.


City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black
City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black
City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black
City Beach Surf Club
© Douglas Mark Black


City Beach Surf Club
Site Plan
City Beach Surf Club
Western Elevation


City Beach Surf Club
Section A
City Beach Surf Club
Section B


City Beach Surf Club
Schematic Diagram
City Beach Surf Club
Schematic Diagram
City Beach Surf Club
Schematic Diagram
City Beach Surf Club
Schematic Diagram
City Beach Surf Club
Schematic Diagram