The debut of Darwin’s Larrakia Cultural Centre, comprising a museum and art gallery, edges closer as construction begins on the bird-inspired structure.
The main function of the facility will be to store and exhibit cultural objects, artefacts and artworks originally from Larrakia and repatriated from other museums. The centre will also accommodate educational rooms.
Northern Territory firms Rossi Architects and Susan Dugdale and Associates unveiled their design for the centre in 2021, at which point they revealed that the building form had been inspired by an ancestral bird in flight. The roofline is a key feature of this narrative, resembling a bird with sprawled wings hovering above the landscape.
The building will be divided into two wings – northern and southern – with a central double-height breezeway in between.
The centre will be sited within walking distance of a sacred site of the Larrakia people on the Stokes Hill waterfront. The landscape will feature three main habitats typically found on Larrakia Country – a monsoon rainforest, a savanna and coastal.
The main function of the facility will be to store and exhibit cultural objects, artefacts and artworks originally from Larrakia and repatriated from museums.
Image:
Rossi Architects, Susan Dugdale and Associates and the Larrakia Working Group
Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Joel Bowden said the facility will become an important place for cultural gatherings, as well as a site for education about the land and its Traditional Custodians. “A place for Larrakia people to share, celebrate and showcase Larrakia Country, language, culture and knowledge with the world,” he said.
“Aboriginal tourism is a significant drawcard for international and domestic visitors and the Larrakia Cultural Centre will boost the opportunity for Territorians and visitors to learn more and experience Larrakia culture and history firsthand.”
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney echoed those sentiments stating that the centre would not only be a place to showcase culture and history, but a site that the Larrakia people can continue caring for. “A […] building with a bird-shaped roof will hover over this site – place for people from across the territory and across Australia to recognise and celebrate Larrakia culture,” she said.
The project has been initiated and managed by the Larrakia Development Corporation, with the construction tender awarded to local construction company Sunbuild. Throughout the project, the Larrakia Working Group – comprising Larrakia community members – has provided centre design and operational feedback.
Construction is expected to be finalised in early 2026.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
