Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning

Indigenous Community Development in the Pilbara: Gumala 0-5 studio

 

 

As part of its ongoing commitment to community development, the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning is working together with the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation to design and deliver an Early Childhood Education Centre in the Wakathuni community, in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) is the seventh largest Indigenous corporation in Australia committed to serving the Nyiyapali, Banyjima and Innawonga peoples of the Pilbara. The key objectives of GAC are the preservation and protection of the members’ heritage, culture and languages; training and employment initiatives; as well as economic, community and social development. One distinct focus of the organisation is to provide housing and community facilities for its members.

The Gumala 0-5 Studio project is a collaboration between the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning and the Faculty of Education.  From the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, Dr David O’Brien will continue his sustainable, relationship-based approach to community development, a consultative model which O’Brien developed in his successful ‘Bower’ series of architecture studios (2008-2010). The Wakathuni community will be directly involved in the decision-making, design and construction of the Early Childhood Education Centre.

“We understand the importance of community involvement,” says O’Brien, “and we want to make sure we get our projects just right. We always keep to budget, meet our deadlines and make sure the community is on-board with us. So we take the time to listen and learn, making sure the project is the right fit for the location and the specific needs of the community.”

Critical to this initiative is the expertise of Professor Collette Tayler, Chair in Early Childhood Education at the University of Melbourne.  Professor Tayler has over 20 years experience working in the field of early childhood education and care in Western Australia, which recently led to her appointment to provide the expert overview of the WA Department of Education’s Review of Educational Practice in Kindergarten, Pre-primary and Year 1 Provision in Western Australia. Her research clearly demonstrates that the quality of at least the first 5 years of a child’s learning sets the foundation upon which all future learning is built.

Our Master of Architecture students will be a critical part of the project – just as they were in O’Brien’s previous ‘consult/design/build’ projects. The students involved in the Gumala 0-5 Studio will engage directly with the Wakathuni community to form a deep understanding of their culture and needs. As they work with the community to build the Early Childhood Education Centre, our students are listening and learning how to work with the community and with the resources at hand. This will be used to inform the housing designs and strategies that the teams will formalize on their return to Melbourne. Then, later in the year, team members will return to the community to present housing schemes suitable for this location.

“Our longer term plan is to take a lead role alongside the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation and the Wakathuni Community to develop relevant and sustainable housing” says O’Brien. “We want to work together to develop the best possible housing for their needs.”

“Marginalised communities are not used to making their own decisions about their environments and shelter. Traditionally they have had little or no choice. The process of talking, designing, and then building together opens up many opportunities for a more useful dialogue which then enriches the ideas and outcomes for the next project.”
The Masters students will depart Melbourne for the Pilbara in June and will work on-site at Wakathuni from June 20 to 30, constructing the Early Childhood Education Centre out of shipping containers, with an over-arching roof, deck and native landscaping.

“Once in the Pilbara, we will be busy constructing the roof and deck, completing the fit-out of the learning spaces, designing and creating the landscaping around the centre,” says Heather Mitcheltree, one of the Master of Architecture students involved in the Gumala 0-5 studio.  “Community consultation and engagement is a vital aspect of this project, and we will be engaging with the community not only in relation to the Gumala 0-5 facility, but also in the formulation of a ‘design brief’ for the individual houses that we will be designing in consultation with residents.  All up, it is a massive undertaking for the short time we will be in the Pilbara, and one that I expect to be a challenging and rewarding learning experience.”   

Concurrent with this extensive consultation and design process, colleagues in the Faculty of Education are working with the community to develop a culturally appropriate childhood education program. The Early Childhood Education Centre will mark the start of a broad interdisciplinary project between the University of Melbourne and the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation that is supported by its entire Traditional Owner board.

A number of companies have generously provided materials and support for the Gumula 0-5 studio: Litesteel Industries, Thrifty Car Hire, Bunnings (Coburg), Modwood, Jasper Junior, AFL, Pacific Industries, Surdex Steel and Coolaroo.

 

 

 

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