Behind the Design of BOSC with Interior Designer Lauren Matthews
The cricket pavilion at BOSC has been part of the local landscape for the better part of a century.
What began as a military training ground, quickly evolved into a hub for sporting activities in the 1970s and 80s. However, as the world changed around it, the building fell out of use in the early 21st century.
A new pavilion at BOSC has been built for the local community to utilise once again. The design of the building and its interiors has been vitally important in creating this premier sporting and events space.
Lauren Matthews of Lauren Matthews Interiors and her team were appointed with the task managing the design project. We talked to Lauren about her creative process and how she incorporated BOSC’s story into the project.
What was your inspiration for the design?
The team at WBRC explained the site’s history, as well as their preferred style and vision for BOSC, its space and surroundings. We were so inspired by the rich heritage that we had a design in mind almost immediately and began putting together a design scheme very quickly.
What did the original building look like?
The original building was built in 1922 and consisted of a wooden frame with wooden sheet siding and concrete tiles. It housed a smoking room, dining room, gentlemen’s cloakroom, ladies’ room, ladies’ cloakroom and a steward’s quarters.
BOSC is full of military history. The building was originally the army officers’ cricket pavilion. The colonial style is historically important to Bordon and its military past, so we tried to include as many colonial references as possible in the new pavilion.
How did BOSC’s history influence the interiors?
The site has deep historical and sporting roots and our goal was to encapsulate the past within a contemporary, inviting design. We kept the colour scheme neutral, making the memorabilia walls the feature in the ground floor Clubroom.
There are other nods towards the venue’s sporting history, such as the framed black and white images of the previous building. The banquette seats are upholstered with a ‘cricket ball stitch pattern’ to fit the Clubroom’s sporting theme and provide comfortable dining areas.
We really wanted to highlight the views out to the cricket pitch and encourage users to dine alfresco or take drinks out on the terrace. Televisions are strategically placed for visitors who want to watch other sports, enjoy a drink or a bite to eat.
The Poppy red shutters to the rear of the building add a splash of colour to the exterior. This colour is woven through the colour scheme of the room as a feature. Historic badges and shields are framed with colonial style wall panelling, which continues to the first-floor function room.
Wow. What about the rest of the venue?
One of my favourite rooms to design was the function room on the first floor. The space is very grand with high ceilings, beautiful glass chandeliers, and detailed cornicing and wall panelling.
It’s the perfect place for special events, such as weddings, birthdays, and christenings. The space is very elegant but also has the flexibility to become a corporate seminar or meeting room. In this room we were very inspired by BOSCs colonial history, which you can see in the dark timber consoles, floral arrangements and inset wallcovering panels. The balcony gives also gives diners an uninterrupted view of the cricket pitch.
What were the biggest challenges in designing this space?
I didn’t want the public areas to feel over-themed, but still wanted to capture the building’s heritage. Soft touches were the key here and finding small ways to incorporate the prolific history was both the challenge and the joy of this project.
