Award of Merit:

Phillips/Pilkington Architects for Gunditj Mirring Keeping Place

A collaborative design process that aims to understand the clients, end-users deeply and in this case, the cultural connections and critical commencing points for the desired design direction

Drawing upon ancient indigenous typologies re-imagined as the place to keep Gunditj Mirring cultural material, currently stored in the Melbourne Museum.

This project and design solution expression need to be ‘site-specific because the cultural materials and practices themselves occurred in this location for at least the last 7,000 years. The materials and forms used celebrate low energy and an ESD design, with a steel-frame/timber composite. There is a ground-mounted 90kW PV system, meaning this whole remote 'Museum' is off-grid.

Gunditj Mirring Keeping Place celebrates continuous site ownership and occupation and in honour of sacrifices made over time, and specifically at the Mission.

Category: Place

Designers: Michael Pilkington, Susan Phillips, Imogen Hebart