A group of tourists including someone in a wheelchair entering the second shelter. Futago's roof top graphic of a Platypus can be seen on this shelter, alongside an enormous blue and white Welcome to Burnie graphic on the side.
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TasPorts Cruise Shelter

Burnie Port, Tasmania 2017

A welcoming entry.

The TasPorts Cruise Shelters provide visitors arriving by cruise ship with much-needed shelter from the unpredictable north west Tasmanian weather, and efficiently direct them on to their next destination.

The shelters needed to be housed in the middle of Tasmania’s largest general cargo port, so relocation and multiple configuration possibilities were well considered in the design process. Fitting with the environment and purpose, shipping containers were chosen as the base structure, allowing for easy transportation and setup.

Material selection.

This playful design approach aims to humanise the experience of arriving at a working port, with additional adaptable signage visible from above when exiting the cruise ship. The clever signage, created by graphic designers Futago, features imagery of famous Tasmanian animals well known to international travellers.

Upon entering the shelter, visitors will find coloured, ship-like portholes and a robust textural interior lining, designed to reflect the timber industry synonymous with the City of Burnie.

Cruise ship visitors in colourful clothing spilling out of the shelter and into the waiting tourist bus.
Blurred images of cruise ship visitors as they move through the timber lined interior of one of the shelters.
Tourists moving from the cruise ship, down the ramps and stairs through the two shelters that Cumulus designed and then onto the awaiting buses.
An aerial view of one of the ramps that leads down to the shelter. An image of the timber lined interior with ship-like angled portholes that let natural light into the space.
A view from the cruise ship looking down onto the roof of the shelter. On the roof there is Futago's large graphic of a Tasmanian Devil, protruding angled skylights and solar panels.