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Located near the street, before the main house, the new Avalon Tennis Pavilion comprises an upper-level entertaining space and a versatile ground floor. Anchored by a monolithic stone podium and capped with a lightweight, copper-clad roof, the glazed pavilion’s architecture by SJB is seamlessly complemented by an interior language from director Phillip Mathieson. "The design is respectful of the architectural form, while expressing our own design philosophies," he explains.
Embracing a vision for seamless indoor/outdoor flow, Mathieson extended the building’s copper-clad roof inward, creating a sailing ceiling plane that links the upper-level interior and terrace. “The copper gently reflects the surrounding tree canopies, bounces light around the interior and, over time, will patina to develop a character of its own,” he says. To the south, a kitchenette and bathroom are concealed behind a timber veneer-clad wall. Broad glazed sliding doors open the main volume laterally to the east-facing tennis court and the elevated, west-facing terrace. This open arrangement draws the landscape and water views through the structure, crafting an elevated, immersive site experience.
A spiral stair descends to the lower level, where a large multi-use space unfolds toward the garden. This volume serves as a private retreat, an overflow entertainment space, and secluded guest quarters for the clients, their visitors, and adult children. Mathieson arranged a bathroom, store, and bedroom along the eastern, embedded edge of the architecture. An open workspace nestled between them serves as a light-filled study and an 'artist studio' supporting the family's ceramics and textiles interests.
Along the northern edge, a fully equipped kitchen features a refined form that eschews traditional appearances. "One end is designed as an elevated table to function as a bar or a place to congregate with friends," describes Mathieson. A raised ceiling follows the rectilinear void of the spiral stair, accentuating this central feature and defining the main lounge area below. Here, communal furniture invites occupants to unwind against a backdrop of garden views, ensuring flexibility for the family’s evolving needs.
Inspired by the architecture's rough-hewn sandstone cladding, Mathieson introduced the material in a more refined form within the pavilion. All lower-level walls are clad in sandblasted limestone, with floors in honed limestone, offering a subtle shift in color and texture. The floor’s seemingly random lay pattern creates a "homogenous surface with an artisanal quality", avoiding an overly formal feel. Dark timber veneer cabinetry and doors, an upholstered window seat, and the kitchen’s blackened steel frame and pietro grigio marble benchtop punctuate this neutral envelope with essential moments of depth.
A layered lighting scheme throughout the pavilion bathes key features in warm light. An in-ground luminaire at the stair’s center highlights this sculptural element with an internal glow, reinforced by recessed lights on each tread. An inset pelmet with LED strip lighting accentuates the textural stone walls, minimizing the need for visible downlights and preserving the clean expression of the main ceiling. The quality of light reaffirms the pavilion’s function as an atmospheric setting for entertainment and respite.
Defined by clarity, calmness, and restraint, the Avalon Tennis Pavilion embodies Mathieson’s commitment to timeless design, achieving a dialogue between simplicity and warmth. With tailored details and a pared-back palette, the design team has crafted a tranquil, multi-use space. "It’s a beautiful, understated space to be in - a tranquil place to appreciate the setting, looking out into the garden, through the trees into the water beyond", he concludes.
Avalon Tennis Pavilion is built on the lands of the Garigal people of Guringai country.