THE/12

Bower Studio @ Kalkaringi

David O'Brien, Gina Dahl and Hugh Foster

Studio Description

In 2024 Bower Studio will produce designs for an indigenous cultural/heritage centre at Kalkaringi in remote Northern Territory. The local Gurindji people are famous for their leadership seeking indigenous land rights in Australia and for their role in the 1966 Wave Hill Walk-off. They believe that a suitable cultural/heritage centre should be developed to recognise the significant role their ancestors played in this story.

This is a ‘real project’ and the community are keen for the best design ideas to be included in their upcoming funding application. Bower Studio has been taking a long-term approach to the community’s request for design support and from 2014 has developed an extensive relationship with the Gurindji people by co-designing and co-building several projects within the community. These projects are part of an ‘action research’ program and have allowed us to build a rigorous basis for collaboration.

Studio Outcomes

Before preparing your own designs you will get to know the community and building process by helping the artists at the local arts centre to improve the exhibition spaces and storage facilities so that the artworks can be displayed properly. The construction phase will take 11 days from week four in the semester and provide you the opportunity to develop your building skills while closely engaging with the community. This phase will compliment Bower Studio’s previous additions to the arts centre in 2018 and 2023  to double the space available to artists in a culturally appropriate and sustainable way.

This deep dive into the community, plus your firsthand engagement with indigenous knowledge systems and experience on country, will build your confidence to research, build and consult with indigenous clients before framing your own design program over the remainder of the semester. Physical scale models and video clips will be encouraged in this studio. A $1000 bursary to help cover travel costs is available.

See www.bowerstudio.com.au for previous projects and more information.

Studio Leader

Associate Professor David O’Brien (BPD, BArch hons, PhD) began the Bower Studio following his work on community development in SE Asia. In 2008 he began the award-winning Bower Studio program working with marginalised communities in remote Australia and Papua New Guinea. This program has led to the co-design and co-construction of a range of education, health and culture facilities across several remote communities.

Gina Dahl (BA hons, MArch) is a registered architect and graduate of the Bower Studio program with particular experience working with the Gurindji community at Kalkaringi. Gina co-designed the Karungkarni Arts Centre stage 2 pavilion. Her work has been published in Dezeen, Architecture and Design, Arts Electronica, has been exhibited at Melbourne Design Week and won the 2022 DesignInc Positive Legacy of Design Award.

Hugh Foster (student mentor) has worked at Kalkaringi in 2023 as a Bower Studio student and has construction expertise and experience working with the Gurindji people.

Readings & References

Grant, S 2016, The Australian dream, Quarterly Essay Issue 64.

Langton, M 2012, Counting Our Victories: the end of Garvey-ism and the soft bigotry of low expectation,https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/boyerlectures/2012-boyer-lectures-245/4427682

McGaw, J. 2015,  Assembling the centre: architecture for indigenous cultures: Australia and beyond. Routledge.

Page, A. 2021, Design: building on Country. Thames & Hudson.

Pascoe, B. 2014, Dark Emu, South Australia, Griffin Press.

Pearson, N 2009, Up from the mission: selected writings, Melbourne. Black Inc.

Sutton, P 2011, The politics of suffering: Indigenous Australia and the end of the liberal consensus, Carlton, Vic. Melbourne University Pub.

Sutton, P. 2021, Farmers or Hunter-gatherers? The Dark Emu Debate

https://www.mup.com.au/books/farmers-or-hunter-gatherers-paperback-softback

Toohey, P 2008, Last drinks: the impact of the Northern Territory intervention, Melbourne. Black Inc.

Ward, C 2016, A handful of sand, The Gurindji struggle, after the Walk-off, Victoria, Monash University Press.

Yijani: True stories from Gurindji country

https://aiatsis.gov.au/publication/35037

Schedule:
Tuesday 2:00pm-5:00pm in MSD 237
&
Friday 9:00am-12:00pm in MSD 237 

Off-Site Activity:
Kalkaringi, Northern Territory

Contact Handbook