Why Barbecue Design Flexibility Matters

We’re surrounded by more creative tools and inspiration than ever. AI, digital platforms, and design software make it easy to explore ideas, test concepts, and generate polished visuals in minutes.

However, there’s a flip side to all that convenience: everything is starting to look the same. Public spaces, particularly outdoor gathering areas, often appear technically sound but visually predictable, characterised by clean lines, safe choices, and standard finishes. But they can lack a sense of place. That feeling of “this belongs here” is harder to capture when everything is built from the same playbook.

This isn’t about criticising progress. Off-the-shelf designs, pre-engineered products, and fast-tracked workflows have their place. But in a world that’s leaning toward uniformity, there’s real value in flexibility. It’s what allows designers to respond to the local context and create spaces that feel personal and grounded.

Why Local Relevance Counts

Great public spaces reflect their surroundings. Whether it’s a coastal park, a regional caravan park, or an inner-suburban recreation area, the best designs respond to their environment, including the land, the weather, and the people who use the space.

That’s where design flexibility becomes essential. Not everything needs to be custom-built. However, when you can tweak, adapt, and incorporate local materials or community-relevant features, you end up with something that no AI or standard template can replicate.

For example, a barbecue cabinet made from locally sourced materials, or a cooking shelter that incorporates indigenous art or history. A space laid out to match how that community gathers. These small choices can transform an outdoor kitchen into a centrepiece with meaning.

Flexibility Supports Creative Freedom

Christie barbecue cooktops are built for this kind of thinking. They’re designed to drop in easily across a wide range of settings, without limiting creative intent. Whether the surrounding space is sculptural and expressive or minimal and refined, their cooktops can be part of the vision, without dictating it.

That freedom matters. While performance and durability are critical and inherent in the Christie brand, so is the ability to adapt. To make each space feel unique and user focused. To reflect the needs of the people who’ll be using it year after year.

Experience That Backs Great Design

With over 60 years in the industry, Christie knows that no two sites or clients are the same. They’ve worked closely with councils, landscape architects, developers, and project teams across Australia, supporting some very creative and site-specific visions.

That kind of experience brings value beyond the product. It’s the insight that helps solve practical problems early. It’s knowing what to avoid, what to allow for, and how to make ambitious ideas work within real-world constraints.

So, when clients come to them with a concept, they’re not just getting a barbecue. They are tapping into decades of lessons learned across thousands of successful and occasionally challenging projects.

Supporting You At Every Step

Standard options are often the right choice, especially when time or budget is tight. That’s why Christie offers a versatile range of cabinet styles and finishes, along with complete specification tools, including DWG and Revit files. But when your project calls for something more thoughtful, locally inspired, and community-driven, they’re ready to help bring it to life.

Although a barbecue area may seem like a small part of the plan, when done well, it becomes the heart of a space. A place where people come together, share meals, celebrate milestones, and feel part of something.

Christie has built an enviable reputation for supporting these outcomes, with products that are durable, high-performing, and, above all, adaptable, creating public places that feel truly special.

This article featured in the Winter '25 edition of BIMCRUNCH. Enjoy the full magazine here. To explore further or to download BIM objects from Christie, simply join Bimstore for free access to their products and accompanying literature. For additional insights, visit their manufacturer profile on Bimstore, their company website or socials.