Wellington Marina by Cumulus Studio

Studio: Cumulus Studio

Project Location: Wellington, South Australia

Project Director: Keith Westbrook

Associate Architect: Jet O’Rourke

Architect: Rosella Sciurti

Keith Westbrook
B.Env Des, M.Arch (Hons), Registered Architect VIC & TAS & SA
Director & Principal Architect
Melbourne studio

Keith’s practice has focussed on projects in the public and institutional sectors, including Melbourne Art Centre’s ‘Protagonist’ and the Loreto Mandeville Centre. He’s a big believer in quality over quantity and conceptually driven architecture when projects have a clear line of design thinking. Brave but informed, Keith will try anything once, both in life and his designs.

Jet O’Rourke
B.Arch, M.Arch, Registered Architect
Associate Architect
Adelaide studio

With experience bridging residential, multi-residential, commercial and education projects, Jet’s expertise spans from schematic design to contract documentation. His UniSA Master of Architecture thesis was awarded the Hodgkison Graduate Prize for excellence.

Rosella Sciurti
B.Arch, M.Arch, Registered Architect VIC
Architect
Melbourne office

Rosella is particularly interested in multi-residential projects and social housing. An energetic architect, she takes on as much as possible from her surroundings then distills information into well-informed ideas.

Wellington Marina Project

A collection of six timber-clad retreats, on the banks of the Murray River, offer a new tourism experience to South Australia’s Riverland region.

Situated an hour east of Adelaide, overlooking a pristine wetland along Australia’s longest river, Wellington Marina’s group of luxury pods are a delicate response to the region’s rich natural environment. As part of the marina’s broader tourism redevelopment strategy, the prefabricated structures combine simple and robust designs with natural palettes, connecting the pitched roof forms and timber exteriors to the native surroundings, creating a sense of quiet seclusion for visitors.

A calm flow

The collection comprises three smaller ‘eco-pods’, which can accommodate up to two people, and three ‘luxury pods’, designed for families and larger groups that visit the area for recreation and relaxation.

The simple layout of each retreat makes the most of the design’s small footprint, which, along with the natural exteriors and ecological aesthetic, helps settle the strong angular forms into the landscape. The interiors are framed by floor-to-ceiling windows along one side — creating light-filled, private spaces that invite observation and reflection.

A sustainable approach

Considering the intent and setting, our designs carefully navigate the area’s scenic values and highlight the ecological importance of the neighboring wetland and river to the region. Much like our Ponderosa project on the nearby Fleurieu Peninsula, Wellington Marina’s prefabricated retreats are locally made in Adelaide and feature integrated solar panels and rainwater harvesting.

This project evolved from an initial feasibility study and was developed through close collaboration with our clients, the Coorong Council, and native vegetation specialists.