Kim Dovey:
“Aboriginal” Architecture
Josh Carmody
Alix Smith
Roselyn Tan
Andrew Walsh
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?
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
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
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
The Marika Alderton House
Brief:
A family home for an Aboriginal client that
satisfies the respective climatic demands
and building codes of the area.
Characteristics of Murcutt’s 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
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
The Marika Alderton House
Professionally shot tailored compositions?
Source: “A singular architectural practice”,
H, Beck and J. Cooper, P. 131, 140
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
The Marika Alderton House
Source: “A singular architectural practice”,
H, Beck and J. Cooper, P. 137, 138
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
The Marika Alderton House
Working plan
Source: “A singular architectural practice”,
H, Beck and J. Cooper, P. 133
Final plan
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
The Marika Alderton House
Dovey’s 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?
Source: “A singular architectural practice”,
H, Beck and J. Cooper, P. 131, 140
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
Burgess and Brambuk
Location: Gariwerd(Grampians) ranges, western
Victoria
Architect: Greg Burgess with others
Completed: 1991
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
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.
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
Burgess and Brambruk
Roof plan
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
Burgess and Brambruk
Ground floor plan
The stone fireplace.
First floor plan
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
Burgess and Brambruk
Overlooking the theatre.
The theatre under construction.
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
Burgess and Brambruk
Helical ramps leading to the first floor.
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
Burgess and Brambruk
Dovey’s 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.
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
Aboriginality in Architecture:
Other works:
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
Bunjilaka,Aboriginal Wing of the
Museum of Victoria
DCM
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
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
Aboriginality in Architecture:
Other works:
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
Bunjilaka,Aboriginal Wing of the
Museum of Victoria
DCM (1995)
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)
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
Bunjilaka
Aboriginal Wing of Museum of
Victoria
Denton Corker Marshall
1995
•Representing Aboriginality
in an Urban Setting
Superficial reading of
Aboriginality
‘Natural form’
Compare and Contrast:
The curvilenear ‘natural’ forms of the Bunjikala gallery are an
odd departure from DCM’s orthogonal style
Source: http://www.architecturemedia.com/aa/aaissue. (July/August 1996 Issue)
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
Bunjilaka
Aboriginal Wing of Museum of
Victoria
Denton Corker Marshall
1995
•Competition- prevents consultation
•Architecture about Aboriginies
Who is this representation of
Aboriginality for?
•Serpent tracks and dot painting
references
Source: http://museumvictoria.com.au/bunjilaka
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
Karijini Visitors’ Centre, Pilbara
Woodhead 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
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
Karijini Visitors’ Centre, Pilbara
Woodhead 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
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
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)
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
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)
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
Tjulyuru Ngaanyatjarri Cultural and
Civic Centre, Warburton
by Inside Out Architects
2003
•Collaboration between indigenous and nonindigenous architects
•Participatory process- design, construction,
maintenance
Source: http://www.architecturemedia.com/aa/ (Sept/Oct 2003 Issue)
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
…more ‘Aboriginal’ Architecture
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
Traditional Gallery Spaces
Opening day celebrations and rituals
Source: http://www.architecturemedia.com/aa/ (Sept/Oct 2003 Issue)
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
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.
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
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.”
Kim Dovey Indigenous Architecture?
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 Indigenous Architecture?