Designed by Besley & Spresser for a national architecture competition, the pavilion showcases the NSW Government’s commitment to creating vibrant public spaces. The design reflects its location through the use of materials, its orientation to the harbour, and the view of the sky through the oculus roof. The pavilion’s structure and columns are clad in oyster-filled concrete tiles, referencing its connection to the sea.

Enclosed in the pavilion is ‘Cella’, a versatile servery and storage area that transforms the space into a world-class venue with catering amenities on Sydney’s waterfront. Two concealed doors, also clad in oyster-filled concrete tiles, open up the servery to the space, making it an ideal location for events.

At the east and west ends of Cella, monumental access doors provide entry to the servery space, while remaining consealed when closed, blending with the architectural intent of the design.

Tilt was responsible for the design and engineering of Cella’s bespoke servery and access doors, delivering highly resolved systems capable of supporting significant loads while maintaining effortless operation. The complexity of the doors lies in their mass and integration requirements, needing a bespoke approach to the door mechanisms and associated hardware.

The servery doors are clad in oyster-filled concrete tiles externally and terrazzo tiles internally, with each door weighing more than 800 kg. At the East and West ends of Cella, the nearly three-metre-high access doors weigh approximately 600 kg each.

Developed through Tilt’s rigorous design research, testing and detailed design processes, the door mechanical systems were carefully engineered to withstand their substantial weight while ensuring smooth, reliable performance. Extensive wind testing was undertaken to assess the impact of the exposed waterfront location, informing a solution that allows the doors to be operated and manually closed with ease despite their scale and mass.