Bilya Marlee awarded for a second time this year
We’re proud to announce that our project with the UWA School of Indigenous Studies, Bilya Marlee, has been awarded for a second time this year, now acknowledged with a National Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) Award for Health and Education Landscapes.
Of this project, the jury commented: “The cultural narrative ‘a place of learning by the river’ is an articulation of the beauty and balance found within this landscape, providing a forum for further learning as well as an example of what can be discovered if we allow ourselves to be a part of the landscape. By balancing the value of the building and the landscape, the development of Bilya Marlee – the University of Western Australia’s new School of Indigenous Studies – has followed an Indigenous method of design. The marri and jarrah trees, which predate the campus, are considered a family and the removal or damage of any family members was not considered viable; this led to an authentic ‘landscape-first’ approach. With the landscape flowing into the form of the building, and the site oriented to physically and visually connect to the river, this project feels at home here.”
A big thank you and congratulations to our client, the University of Western Australia; and to project collaborators the School of Indigenous Studies; cultural advisor, Richard Walley; Kerry Hill Architects; The Arbor Centre; Best Lighting and Electrical; Pritchard Francis; Hydroplan; and Turner and Townsend.
Image: Loren Holmes
