This timely exhibition highlighted a series of South Australian Contemporary Aboriginal Design projects. We were pleased to have three of our own projects included into the exhibition and fascinated by the array of work being undertaken throughout the state.

One project included was our collaboration with Russell and Yelland Architects – a redevelopment of a significant section of the Port Lincoln High School. As part of the Department of Education’s broader capital works programme to deliver better facilities for pedagogical outcomes, the project incorporated a series of new and refurbished buildings.

Mulloway was engaged to develop ways to link the architectural outcomes to the place through concepts of identity.

Art Programme and Architecture

The school has a successful First Nations art programme established in which students (years 8 and 9) produced a series of works that would form the basis of our research. Artworks are a good way to start to bridge the space between architectural processes and outcomes, and ideas about identity – a particular type of abstraction that illustrates the important aspects of place. Largely 2D works these were accompanied by a brief description of the representational qualities of the piece and explanation of why that was important to the artist(s).

In order to translate these into architectural techniques we analysed 12 artworks for common patterns, threads of ideas, colours, forms, and expressions of place. We then grouped these and married the outcomes to potential built outcomes using precedents – of either our own work or the work of others as exemplar techniques of how those ideas might play out. Many of these focused on family relationships, on the ocean surroundings, and the idiosyncrasies of the intertidal zone. These consistent threads offered commonalities of ideas, colour techniques, translucencies, patterns and form. These techniques were adapted to the buildings and spaces in forms appropriate to the architectural specifics and offer identifiable elements and techniques that are rooted in place.

Richard Le Messurier was presenting his final on small interventions aimed to challenging normal behaviours. It has been a long and interesting programme and while there remains much to do there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.

By creative directors Tristan Wong and Jefa Greenaway

Working with the ASPECT STUDIOS team, Mulloway developed a suite of shelters and amenities for this popular 7.1 hectare community reserve located alongside the Karrawirri Parri River Torrens Linear Park. Felixstow Reserve development includes large areas of landscaping, wetland development, playing areas, interpretive experiential trails, a canoe scar tree, and cultural markers together with supporting facilities.

Mulloway collaborated in the conceptual framework and design strategy for the overall site, drawing on Kaurna and post-European Settlement histories.

Amongst various sized shelters and arbor structures for the site is a large pavilion facing the open community space. The main pavilion incorporates accessible toilet facilities and an open, roofed gathering space, and is able to facilitate a range of events.

Shelter designs are drawn from the early market gardens, the use of woven sticks and boxes. The composite steel and timber framed structure extends into a woven overhang that will support vines. The concrete floor and timber batten and board cladding are reminiscent of the area’s post-European agricultural and orchard use.

Images taken by Sweet Lime Photo

A framework was developed around key heritage sites and anticipated future use, allowing stories to be told ‘in-place’ and delivered in an appropriate manner. A bidi trail reveals seasonal movements through native plantings and speaks to the ongoing Whadjuk connection to boodja (country/land).

We worked closely as part of a collaborative design team to embed heritage and cultural principles within the developing masterplan. We look forward to seeing how this project unfolds over the coming stages.

This small alteration project is built around three key principles;

a love of reading and books as symbols of personal and professional life,

a progressive series of views and spatial expansion,

and an emphasis on outdoor living and minimising built footprint.

One of the great aspects of the project is the wisteria-covered courtyard. Its careful lifting and expansion allowed the vine to provide a ready-made canopy to the outdoor living space. The project sits within the lexicon of many alterations that adapt the rear of 19thC villas, offering layouts suited to a more contemporary use of living spaces, and a stronger relationship to the garden.

It celebrates the relative freedom of this back-end typology and incorporates a ‘pavilion’ tower as a casual nod to these types of verandahs and lean-tos. A reference to a James Turrell work, this roofline culminates in a sky-window over the main space.

In contrast, two reading/sitting rooms with bi-fold windows are placed on the perimeter of the living areas, encouraging closer interaction with the outdoor and distant hills.

All photographs by Aaron Citti Photography.

The recently completed project has just won South Australia’s Park of the Year and recognised as a bespoke play space and tourism destination. Parks and Leisure Australia SA/NT

Working with Birdeye Studios the project was based on the following three principles:

• History  • Community  • Environment

The multi-level terrain area encourages exploration of play elements as well as the natural and curated landscape, and reinforces the histories of the place. We embeded artworks within the space in unexpected ways—allowing people to engage with the history of the place—particularly evident in the glowing pole forest.

The play-space includes;

• Tall ‘water tower’ slide

• A formed rock spill—emphasises the former cutting and becomes a climbing activity mixed with waterplay.

• Light and sound Pole Forest—with Geoff Cobham and Tristan Louth-Robbins—a collaboration that includes the soundscape ‘Sternere’ with poles that glow at night.

• The ‘play deck’—referring to the historical rail—movement + loading/unloading.

• Amenities and Shelters

• The central turntable has been fully restored utilised as a ‘bridge’.

• 1km of mountain bike trail and skate park.

The historic Railway Station precinct at Angaston retains a strong sense of place, with a high level of historic building fabric and industrial infrastructure which offered great potential for this redeveloped cultural tourism and community space.

Images taken by Sweet Lime Photo

For us this project illustrates a number of key ways of re-imagining the design process for redevelopment and upgrade of urban settings with a highly defined character: using story-telling as the main design driver where the place is considered a form of museum/gallery, and with an emphasis on repair rather than replacement—allowing the street to speak for itself.

The project celebrates Willunga as a community with a continuing history—both Aboriginal and European.  Along the street you encounter various elements that hold fragments of stories, quotes from oral histories or artworks hinting to Willunga’s histories of place, people and industries: the slate, almond and later wine industries, as part of Kaurna country, and being the first surveyed and established town outside of the Adelaide.

The design approach uses the heritage buildings as elements that have ‘pools of influence’ and act as markers that set up a rhythm along the street. Stories and the crafted elements are centred about the many significant buildings—within pavement inlays, hand-formed kerbs and custom street furniture such as street bins, bike racks and seating. Materials, embedded artefacts and emblems reference Willunga’s local traditions: slate, the almond and later wine industries, and as part of Kaurna country, the railway and Gunter’s survey chain—with links and chain measures used in the placement and sizing of streetscape elements as well as in the graphics.

Materials and trades for the project were sourced within 50km of the township where possible.  Slate used in footpaths, tree pits, kerbing, walls and public art was sourced from Willunga Slate Quarry; brick paving from Littlehampton, concrete from Victor Harbor and timber from local suppliers.

Photographer: Dan Shultz-Sweet Lime Studio

The alterations and additions strategy improve the school’s capability through contemporary learning environments with increased flexibility and interconnectivity, with indoor and outdoor learning spaces and expanded STEAM capabilities.

Improvements to the ecological and environmental footprint form part of the proposal, with visible systems creating learning opportunities. Passive and active systems  utilised include shading, landscaping, water reuse, solar and natural cooling systems, and low-embodied energy, sustainable source and low-maintenance materials and fittings.

Images courtesy: Ella Xie