Following a national design competition, Western Sydney University has revealed the winning team for the design of its new Indigenous Centre of Excellence, on Darug land, at the university’s Parramatta South campus.
The winning team comprises Sarah Lynn Rees, Jackson Clements Burrows Architects (JCB), Peter Stutchbury Architecture and Jane Irwin Landscape Architecture. The team also includes Uncle Dean Kelly, Hill Thalis Architecture and Flux Consultants. The winning consortium’s design was selected from four shortlisted groups.
The design competition selection panel said they were thoroughly impressed with the winning team’s design concept, which successfully brought to life the vision for a community-centric, transformational new building that integrated Country and First Nations knowledge.
Chair of the Design Competition Selection Committee, Dillon Kombumerri, said the winning scheme is “an outstanding, Country centred design that promotes First Peoples’ leadership, knowledge sharing, creative skills and living cultural practices. As well as being an iconic destination that the Western Sydney University and the communities it serves can be proud of, the facility will be a welcoming place for everyone who visits, ensuring its enduring legacy.”
The purpose-built facility will enable visitors of all ages, abilities and interests to learn about the Indigenous history of the Western Sydney region. The centre will house arts and cultural collections to facilitate the sharing and preservation of Indigenous Australian culture.
Other building features include informal learning spaces, interdisciplinary research areas, and events spaces for performances, talks and screenings.
Winning team spokesperson and senior associate at JCB, Sarah Lynn Rees, said they are thrilled to have been selected as the design team for the project.
“It is not very often that you have the opportunity to respond to a brief that is seeking to holistically embed and care for Country, culture and community. We could not be more excited for the next stages, walking side by side with Western Sydney University, Darug Ngurra and the community to realize a place that shows the world how powerful mob can be when we are allowed to be,” said Rees.
The winning building design will be shared in early 2024.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
