This new building is designed to house both the Blenheim iSite and Destination Marlborough. Its prominent position on the state highway brings cohesion to a significant tourism juncture, adjacent to the Railway station, where the main roads from Nelson, Picton and Kaikoura intersect.
Conceived as a raised pavilion, strong angularity and exposed dark timber give the building a distinct street presence that relates to its regional rural setting. Alternating glass and timber infill panels bring layers of transparency and solidity to the façade, enabling the building to engage the street with ease.
The rhomboid shape provides a dynamic form with the leading edge creating a sharp and strong forced perspective. The skewed shape also helps to provide the maximum glazed face of this otherwise modest building to the street.
Innovative yet simple mechanical solutions ensure the building is responsive to the surrounding environment. The large oversailing roof provides significant shading as well as directing rainwater from its perimeter to the locally-sourced plants below. The roof also incorporates passive solar design, acting as a heat sink to activate solar buoyancy. Fresh air is drawn into the interior through low level windows, and then vented up through the ceiling space and roof vent.
The interior aperture encourages visitor flow, and allows connection with views to the surrounding mountain ranges synonymous of the Marlborough region.
