Through a veil of lush greenery, glimpses of the new Puffing Billy Railway Visitor Centre peek through – an inconspicuous silhouette of COLORBOND® steel in Monument® Matt finish, hinting at the industrial heritage within. Its robust form echoes the steam locomotives that have long traversed these lands, so much so that, at first glance, one might mistake its rugged form for a train itself. This striking resemblance is a testament to the architects’ vision: a structure that seamlessly merges the railway’s rich history with the surrounding landscape.

This serpentine silhouette was designed by TERROIR, who were engaged to create a dedicated Discovery Centre at Emerald Lake Park that would accommodate the growing number of visitors. Located amidst the steam-powered railway’s stunning route, TERROIR’s multifaceted architectural response is a delicate balance of subtlety and unapologetic confidence, respecting the site’s heritage while introducing a bold, contemporary aesthetic.

“The idea of the building was not to be the immediate hero,” admits TERROIR Associate and Project Lead, Emily Slevin. “Our challenge was to celebrate the ‘dance’ of the railway and steam engine experience, allowing it to remain the hero and accentuate it by adding new dimensions and perspectives that enhance the railway’s visceral qualities.”

The design echoes the gentle curve of the railway line, while its angular layout introduces a modern vocabulary yielding spatial dynamism that belies the monochromatic exterior. This harmonious blend of industrial heritage and modern geometry generates a cohesive architectural form that responds to the site’s topography, creating a connection between the manicured gardens of Emerald Lake Park and the untamed bushland beyond.

The delicate capacity to delineate aspects of the site while receding into the background is anchored by considered material choices. The first step was to place the Visitor Centre’s most visible part – its external façade – into conversation with the railway’s history, and the use of COLORBOND® steel roofing and cladding in Monument® Matt finish across the building’s envelope was integral to this design vision. “As you approach from Emerald Lake Park, you can hardly pick out the building,” enthuses Emily. “It’s quite an achievement to have a 2000-square-metre building sit so delicately amongst the trees.”

The choice of COLORBOND® steel for the cladding evokes the strength and resilience of the trains’ cast metal, forging a link between the heritage railway and the modern facility – the building itself is presented as a single, continuous form reminiscent of a locomotive body.

The flow of spaces within the Visitor Centre – organised in a snaking, carriage-like formation – is further enhanced through a meticulous alignment of the Mack Bros Straightline 406 Plain Pan Deck cladding profile at the roof and wall junctions. A result of close collaboration between TERROIR and Kane Constructions, the design features a custom-fabricated mansard cap that visually and functionally unites the two planes, giving the impression they seamlessly flow into each other. A concealed gutter system made with pre-painted steel adds to the refined, rudimentary aesthetic.

“The folded eaves gutter continues as a datum over the standing seams of the Straightline 406 wall cladding to offer an inbuilt overflow,” explains Emily. The gutter guards, finished to match the Monument^® Matt finish, assisted with bushfire compliance – all external cladding had to achieve BAL-19 bushfire attack level – while providing an almost continuous reading of the roofing material, with the box gutter acting as a straight line to the edge of the building.

“The profile’s flat pan and standing seam are quite dynamic, creating depth and visual interest through the length of shadows cast across the façade,” Emily describes. “The façade becomes a canvas for the shadows of the eucalypts to dance across. You get a secondary understanding of the bushland and the way it interacts with the building’s surface.”

However, steel wasn’t chosen only for its undeniable creative potential. TERROIR selected the locally sourced material for its low environmental impact, durability and impressive lifespan – just like Puffing Billy’s ageless steam locomotives, the building has been designed to endure. “The cladding looks as good today as it did the day it was installed,” Emily notes. “It’s always pleasing to come back and find the material on one of our buildings is unchanged.”

The striking strength of COLORBOND® steel, cloaked in the muted hues of Monument® Matt , allows the structure to nestle seamlessly within its surroundings while its grounding tones pay a poetic homage to the site’s industrial past. Through a bold yet restrained architectural approach, TERROIR created more than just a world-class visitor centre – the Puffing Billy Lakeside Visitor Centre is a destination that invites all who pass through to embark on a journey that transcends time, connecting them to the very soul of the Dandenong Ranges.

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