overview
From The Heart is a Studio centred around designing for and connecting to Country. The subject building is an affordable housing community centre in Redfern, NSW.
The 'Connecting with Country Draft Framework' is used as a vehicle to promulgate and amplify the Aboriginal voice with the ultimate goal of creating a building that acts as a living, breathing cultural washing machine.
The building is designed to strike a balance between displaying culture and nurturing individuals through the facilitation and celebration of cultural knowledge exchange within First Nations communities.
With verdant terraces, CLT construction, lush indigenous gardens and nature-inspired finishes, the building fabric seeks to embody several connections with Country.
The building mass is set back and scaled back to interact with the finer grain at ground then carved out to allow visual, solar and ventilation access.
The ancient practice of knowledge sharing is fostered with elders and troubled youth co-housed in this project. The core of the building is where the magic happens. At the mixing level, elders and youth meet for a variety of shared activities like the library, gym, and cooking.
The building promotes happenstance interactions between elders and youth, creating countless opportunities for meaningful exchange.
An indigenous garden, rooftop dining, and laundry are among the amenities on the rooftop, which serves as the centre's beating heart.
The building facilitates circular program relationships that support and engage with the on-site community.
