Mona Vale Surf Club

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Nestled into the dunes at the northern end of Mona Vale Beach, the new surf lifesaving club by Warren and Mahoney required delicate integration into the site.

While the landscape needed to be inherently functional for club activities, the opportunity to improve the experience of entering the beach at this location was prioritised. The cafe and alfresco spaces engage with the coastal setting with the use of a considered material selection utilised for bespoke seating elements, fencing and facilities. Reflecting the character of the Mona Vale Surf Club and Beach, materials are light, hardy and friendly on the feet and complement the timber and concrete used in the Surf Club building. Metal used in the building is picked up in landscape elements including signage, showers and garden bed trim. Weathered timber and sandstone are materials with an association to coastal areas. The patterning inherent in these materials adds a layer of interest and provides a warmth to the palette.

Turf gathering space, utilised weekly by the Nippers, has been sculpted to improve drainage and infiltrate car park run-off. An Indigenous planting palette complements the dunal vegetation, reflecting the native and endemic flora of the region. To ensure a healthy, easily maintained site, salt tolerant and durable plants that react to the microclimate, have been used, based off Northern Beaches dune species.

The upgrade to the Surf Club included a new Mona Vale Beach Amenities and Lifeguard Facility, also designed by Arcadia and Warren and Mahoney. Sympathetic to the environment, the landscape architecture and architecture uses raw and resilient materials to withstand the coastal environment. The landscape includes a beachfront walkway, dune fence, seating and pedestrian access with coastal planting.