Susan Dugdale & Associates
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Akeyulerre

Akeyulerre Healing Centre is run by the Arrernte people and families of central Australia to maintain and promote their rich culture and knowledge, which is integral to the wellbeing of the community. Their highest priority is to educate their young people in all aspects of culture. A secondary aim is to educate non-Arrernte visitors and provide opportunities to engage with Arrernte culture.

 

Cultural practices supported by the centre include bush medicine collection, preparation and distribution; support of Angangkeres (traditional healers), men’s programs, country visits, song, dance, smoking ceremonies and harvesting bush food. The architecture of the project supports these activities in a purpose-built flexible facility that generates identity and pride for Arrernte people and provides the privacy necessary for community and cultural practice, while being a unique destination for tourists and other visitors.

 

The new building houses Akeyulerre’s administration, a lab for commercial production of bush medicines, a shop for products and art, a small sound studio for recording oral cultural material, a cultural material archive room, a large meeting room, and a generous private verandah for outdoor gatherings and activities.

 

The built form responds to the requirements of the Heritage Precinct in form and materiality and addresses the precinct’s central park. The simple forms maximise the limited budget and are dressed with structurally independent curved steel canopies that are decorated with patterns created from Akeyulerre members’ artwork. The impact of the patterns is striking against the blue sky, the shadows enliven the simple building facades and verandahs and brand the building as a place for Arrerntre culture.

 

The arrival courtyard in the centre of the site accommodates a significant mature River Red Gum which is a listed sacred site. The building’s program creates two distinct zones. The first a forward-facing courtyard and formal entry for visitors. The second, accessed by a discrete pathway, is a north-facing private area for member activities connected to the Akeyulerre sacred site. No pathway on site is steeper than 1:20, ensuring accessibility for Akeyulerre members, many of whom have limited mobility, and avoiding the need for handrails and tactile indicators.

 

Indigenous engagement was of paramount importance to the project. Consultations and design workshops with Akeyulerre staff and members started in 2016, project funding was secured in 2019. The construction contractor achieved significant Indigenous employment. The landscaping was contracted to a local training organisation and constructed entirely with Aboriginal employees and trainees. In addition to the art integrated in the verandah canopies, prominent Arrernte artist and elder Mervyn Rubuntja was commissioned to provide artwork for the entry courtyard.

 

SDA provided pro-bono services to support the project at its commencement, and once funded, offered a 10% reduction in fees for the life of the project.

aKEYULERRE HEALING CENTRE

Akeyulerre is run by the Arrernte people and families of central Australia to maintain and promote their rich culture and knowledge, which is integral to the wellbeing of the community. Their highest priority is to educate their young people in all aspects of culture. A secondary aim is to educate non-Arrernte visitors and provide opportunities to engage with Arrernte culture.

Cultural practices supported by the centre include bush medicine collection, preparation and distribution; support of Angangkeres (traditional healers), men’s programs, country visits, song, dance, smoking ceremonies and harvesting bush food. The architecture of the project supports these activities in a purpose-built flexible facility that generates identity and pride for Arrernte people and provides the privacy necessary for community and cultural practice, while being a unique destination for tourists and other visitors.

The new building houses Akeyulerre’s administration, a lab for commercial production of bush medicines, a shop for products and art, a small sound studio for recording oral cultural material, a cultural material archive room, a large meeting room, and a generous private verandah for outdoor gatherings and activities.

The built form responds to the requirements of the Heritage Precinct in form and materiality and addresses the precinct’s central park. The simple forms maximise the limited budget and are dressed with structurally independent curved steel canopies that are decorated with patterns created from Akeyulerre members’ artwork. The impact of the patterns is striking against the blue sky, the shadows enliven the simple building facades and verandahs and brand the building as a place for Arrerntre culture.

The arrival courtyard in the centre of the site accommodates a significant mature River Red Gum which is a listed sacred site. The building’s program creates two distinct zones. The first a forward-facing courtyard and formal entry for visitors. The second, accessed by a discrete pathway, is a north-facing private area for member activities connected to the Akeyulerre sacred site. No pathway on site is steeper than 1:20, ensuring accessibility for Akeyulerre members, many of whom have limited mobility, and avoiding the need for handrails and tactile indicators.

Indigenous engagement was of paramount importance to the project. Consultations and design workshops with Akeyulerre staff and members started in 2016, project funding was secured in 2019. The construction contractor achieved significant Indigenous employment. The landscaping was contracted to a local training organisation and constructed entirely with Aboriginal employees and trainees. In addition to the art integrated in the verandah canopies, prominent Arrernte artist and elder Mervyn Rubuntja was commissioned to provide artwork for the entry courtyard.

SDA provided pro-bono services to support the project at its commencement, and once funded, offered a 10% reduction in fees for the life of the project.