kim dovey pres

Kim Dovey:

Aboriginal Architecture

Josh Carmody

Alix Smith

Roselyn Tan

Andrew Walsh

Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?

Arguments FOR and AGAINST aboriginal architecture

FOR:

Creating more culturally appropriate housing, community centres and

institutions will hopefully help communities to retain culture and develop

socially and economically as individuals, families and communities

thereby bringing different areas into a first world standard of living and

thus making positive steps toward reconciliation.

AGAINST:

Prior to white colonialism, aboriginals never really found importance in

fixed architecture. 200 years of white colonial domination has affected

aboriginal culture in countless ways. So by designing aboriginal

architecture are we again imposing white colonial culture on to aboriginal

culture?


The Marika Alderton House

Location: Yirrkala Community, Eastern

Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

Architect: Glenn Murcutt

Completed: 1994

Source: A singular architectural practice, H, Beck and J. Cooper, P. 132



Brief:

A family home for an Aboriginal client that

satisfies the respective climatic demands

and building codes of the area.

Characteristics of Murcutts work:Regular use of elevated platform and natural

materials. Highly sustainable and have a

strong link to their site.

Source: A singular architectural practice, H, Beck and J. Cooper, P. 134, 136

Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?Source: http://www.independentaustralia.net


Professionally shot tailored compositions?



Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?Source: A singular architectural practice,

H, Beck and J. Cooper, P. 137, 138




Working planFinal plan

Source: A singular architectural practice, H, Beck and J. Cooper, P. 133




Doveys argument:The media have created a false representation for the Marika Alderton house by framing it with specifically chosen words, drawings and photographs.

Studio specific issues:How has Murcutt attempted as a white architect to incorporate aspects of aboriginality within his design?

Is the job as white architects to avoid iconic representations of aboriginality (the dreamtime), and instead pursue approaches that question aboriginal identity in architecture? Or is this

simply an excuse to avoid the issue?


Burgess and Brambuk

Location: Gariwerd(Grampians) ranges, western

Victoria

Architect: Greg Burgess with others

Completed: 1991


Burgess and Brambruk

Brief:

Use of curvilinear forms and natural materials and a participatory design process

Characteristics of Burgess work: Non-orthogonal geometries, curvilinear forms and the use

of timber

The foyer.



Roof plan



Ground floor plan

First floor plan

The stone fireplace.



Overlooking the theatre. The theatre under construction.



Helical ramps leading to the first floor.



Doveys argument:

White preconceptions of a 'primitive' culture and socially constructed identities.

Reinforced construction of Aboriginal people as primitive, natural and irregular.

Conceptual oppositions by white people.

The building embodies forms of liberating practice.


Aboriginality in Architecture:

Other works:

more Aboriginal Architecture

Karijini Visitors Centre, Pilbara

Woodhead International

Patjarr Aboriginal Community Visitors Centre

University of South Australia Students

Tjulyuru Ngaanyatjarri Cultural and Civic

Centre,Warburton

Inside Out Architects

Bunjilaka,Aboriginal Wing of the

Museum of Victoria

DCM


Aboriginality in Architecture:

Other works:


Karijini Visitors Centre, Pilbara

Woodhead International

(2001)

Patjarr Aboriginal Community Visitors Centre

University of South Australia Students (2004)

Tjulyuru Ngaanyatjarri Cultural and Civic

Centre,Warburton

Inside Out Architects (2003)

Bunjilaka,Aboriginal Wing of the

Museum of Victoria

DCM (1995)


Bunjilaka

Aboriginal Wing of Museum of

Victoria

Denton Corker Marshall

1995

Representing Aboriginality in an Urban Setting

Superficial reading of

Aboriginality

Natural form


Source: http://www.architecturemedia.com/aa/aaissue. (July/August 1996 Issue)

Compare and Contrast:

The curvilenear natural forms of the Bunjikala gallery are an odd departure from DCMs orthogonal style



Bunjilaka

Aboriginal Wing of Museum of

Victoria

Denton Corker Marshall

1995

Competition- prevents consultation

Architecture about Aboriginies

Serpent tracks and dot painting references

Source: http://museumvictoria.com.au/bunjilaka

Who is this representation of

Aboriginality for?


Karijini Visitors Centre, PilbaraWoodhead International

2001

The project brief was to create a building for the interpretation of the

park, its geology, flora, fauna, people

and history. The cultural symbol chosen

by the aboriginal stakeholders for the

form of the building is a Kurrumanthu

(goanna/lizard). Woodhead International


Source: http://www.woodhead.com.au/projects



Karijini Visitors Centre, PilbaraWoodhead International

2001

The design objective was to represent, through the built form, respect for the

intentions of the aboriginal stakeholders

and to stimulate interest in a reappraisal

of our collective past, place in the

landscape and relationship between

aboriginal and non aboriginal people.-Woodhead International

Source: http://www.woodhead.com.au/projects


Patjarr Visitors Centre (near Alice Springs)

Louis Laybourne Smith School

of Architecture at the University

of South Australia 2004

Storage facility and gallery for indigenous artefacts

Re-fuelling point for air-travellers

Student built project


Source: http://www.architecturemedia.com/aa/aaissue (Jan/Feb 2004)


Patjarr Visitors Centre (near Alice Springs)

Louis Laybourne Smith School

of Architecture at the University

of South Australia 2004

students voiced their disappointment that community members were not

more involved in the building process.

However, the speed and prefabricated

nature of the construction would have

precluded almost any external

involvement -Paul Pholeros, Architecture Australia


Source: http://www.architecturemedia.com/aa/aaissue (Jan/Feb 2004)


Tjulyuru Ngaanyatjarri Cultural and

Civic Centre, Warburton

by Inside Out Architects

2003

Collaboration between indigenous and non-indigenous architects

Participatory process- design, construction, maintenance


Source: http://www.architecturemedia.com/aa/ (Sept/Oct 2003 Issue)


Tjulyuru Ngaanyatjarri Cultural and

Civic Centre,Warburton

by Inside Out Architects

2003

Represents a shift in Aboriginal tourism from

presenting culture as an object... to culture as a subject.- Mike Parsons


Source: http://www.architecturemedia.com/aa/ (Sept/Oct 2003 Issue)

Traditional Gallery Spaces

Opening day celebrations and rituals


Lessons that we can learn for Bower 2011

- Understanding that there is no single aboriginal architectural

representation of form or function. While there may be consistencies in

some of the social and cultural aspects of different communities

responses to issues should not be based on assumption.

-The people who set the briefs need to consult with the relevant

communities or cultural representatives that the building is for, or going

to be representative of.

- Architects responding to these briefs or proposals need to be more

willing to consult, listen and learn prior to the design process, rather than

after it.


Letter to the Editor September/October issue Architecture Australia

Unfair to us and Glenn

Our views on Glenn Murcutt's involvement were never sought by Kim Dovey, nor was any critical understanding of our specific social, political and

economic context.

Get off the Grass Kim

At least Glenn Murcutt is prepared to get off his arse and try to help people at a grassroots level, rather than sitting in an ivory tower writing pathetic

prose about subjects he is obviously unfamiliar with.


Questions raised by Kim Dovey; discuss them or else.

Who authorises Aboriginal architecture?

How is architecture being used in the ongoing discourse of Aboriginal reconciliation; by whom and in whose interest?

If there are no Aboriginal architects: how are white architects to design for Aboriginals?

Is there any kind of architecture that does not, for better or worse, 'fix' and 'stabilise' socially constructed identities?

kim dovey pres

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