The LiVVing Room

2023 Wangal Country / Five Dock, NSW

A new restaurant houses one of the few commercial kitchens that is fully wheelchair-accessible.

The park pavilion includes a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, and an extra large kitchen for both service and training staff with a disability. The new restaurant creates a local community asset, improved functionality for the client and potential employment opportunities.

The site-driven wedge-shape softens the structure and maximises access for pedestrians, prams and people with a disability. Curves in the building’s geometry create soft edges enabling flows of movement and reference the existing large curved shade structures in the park. The wheelchair accessible kitchen features adjustable benches and is wheelchair compliant.

The new restaurant replaces a tiny kiosk “LiVVi’s Café” adjacent to an all-access playground, park and overlooking the Parramatta River and is operated by a non-profit organisation that works with people with disability.

The indoor space can be divided into two areas for events and a take away counter sits alongside covered outdoor seating. Clerestory highlight windows allow natural light and warmth into the internal spaces and open up pocket views of the sky. A circular cut out in the roof above the wrap-around verandah brings in light.

The kitchen is positioned on the main road boundary to maximise park views for diners over the playground and beyond. A solid wall to the street minimises restaurant noise for nearby residents and protects diners from the busy road. Patterned hit & miss and protruding and receding brickwork create playful shadows and, interspersed with greenery, soften the solid wall.

The material palette is face brick for durability and timber battens for warmth. There are durable polished concrete floors and spotted gum hardwood columns and timber-framed sliding doors.

There is a new accessible drop off zone, expanded play area, new access pathways and landscaping. Sustainable features include passive solar and ventilation and solar panels.

The project will be completed by others.

Project Team

Sam Crawford, Benjamin Chan, Sofia Nay

Consultant Team

Structural & Civil engineer: Bligh Tanner
Engineer (multi-disciplinary): ACOR
QS: Z & L Consulting

Client

City of Canada Bay Council