Karijini National Park Wins National Accolade
15 February 2002
| Location: | Karijini National Park, WA |
| Country: | Australia |
| Project Size: | 1,320 square metres of COLORBOND® steel |
| Architect: | Mark Unger, Woodhead International |
| Awards: | 2001 Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) National COLORBOND® steel Award |
Leading architecture and design firm Woodhead International has won the 2001 Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) National COLORBOND® steel Award for its visitor centre in the Karijini National Park. The visitor centre in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia is a completely self-contained facility which serves as an introduction to the park and associated Aboriginal culture.
The Karijini Park's 600,000 hectares of extreme tropical semi-desert are known to have been inhabited by Aboriginal people for more than 20,000 years. In more recent times the area has been home to miners and pastoralists.
The RAIA jury was particularly impressed with this unique building constructed almost entirely out of steel - in its natural weathered state for the walls - and with roofing made from COLORBOND® steel.
The jury said the use of natural finished blades of steel in a series of overlapping walls with a roof made from COLORBOND® steel in Woodland Grey® combined to define the building in form and texture and ensure minimal maintenance costs for the life of the building.
Mark Unger, Director of Architects Woodhead International, said the isolated location demanded simplicity of construction, minimal maintenance and the ability to withstand the risks of wildfires, which are common during the hot summer months.
The Karijini Visitors Centre features 1,200 square metres (nearly 6.7 tonnes) of COLORBOND® steel rollformed into LYSAGHT KLIPLOK® 406 roofing and 120 square metres (nearly 0.6 tonne) of COLORBOND® steel rollformed into LYSAGHT SPANDEK® walling.
The building's steel wall panels were prefabricated off site in large panels and welded together on site. The 6mm steel plate wall panels blend into the landscape, capturing the irregularly shaped interior with frameless windows set between the walls.
Mr Unger describes the design as an endeavour to interpret its setting and give expression to Aboriginal culture through modern architecture. In plan the building is an abstract representation of the "Kurramanthu" (goanna) moving through the landscape, the cultural symbol chosen by the Aboriginal stakeholders to be represented in the design of the building.
"It is sensitive to the environment and uses the unique opportunities it provides to be creative. The result is an ambiguous form that sits unobtrusively in the landscape open to interpretation on a number of levels," Mr Unger said.
Infrastructure comprises a solar powered ground water supply, diesel power generation and a low tech zero impact wastewater treatment system. The design was cost-effective in its production and continues to be with its maintenance.
