The ambitious design for the Mallanganee Lookout has been shortlisted at the World Architecture Festival in the Future Projects category.
Terroir Pty Ltd are responsible for the design on behalf of Kyogle Council.
The description on the festival website says “Mallanganee Lookout is an iconic destination – a place that has the centre of the galaxy crossing overhead”.
The architects said the absence of city lights gives visitors the chance to see the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy.
They have designed a human scale armillary sphere – a device used historically to mark and measure the movements of celestial bodies relative to an individual’s position in space.
Given the positioning of the Mallanganee Lookout on the edge of an elevated vantage point within a World Heritage area, the armillary sphere has a daytime use as well. The carved apertures within the sphere provide curated views to key landmarks within the Richmond Ranges.
The sphere will be built from steel and raw concrete.
The observatory sphere is still in planning stages but its listing at the World Architecture Festival puts Mallanganee on the map – before it’s been built.
Construction is funded by a $2.067 million Regional Tourism Activation Fund grant from the State Government and Kyogle Council will contribute $690,000 to the project.
The World Architecture Festival is in Singapore on November 29–December 1.
This article appeared on indyNR.com on 16 July 2023.
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