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Award Winning Building
The dynamic Cultural Centre is a free form structure built from locally made mud bricks. It resembles the two ancestral snakes Kuniya and Liru. Inside, large informative displays were designed collaboratively with Anangu, architects, designers and interpreters to create a wonderful visitor experience.
'This building is for us all.
Our beautiful Cultural Centre has the Kuniya python built within its shape.
Its body is made of mud and its roof is the spine of the python'.
© Topsy Tjulyata
The architects set up a work studio in the Mutitjulu community where Anangu and other interested parties could go to comment on what they felt were the requirements of the proposed building. Anangu made sure that everyone involved learned about Tjukurpa (law and religious philosophy). They drew sketches in the sand, made paintings on canvas and sat for long periods of time talking issues over with each other, park staff, architects and display designers. From these early stages the building developed through close collaboration between the community members, their employees, Parks Australia and the design team.
The Cultural Centre was the Winner of the 1996 RAIA Tracy award for the best public building in the Northern Territory. It has featured in architectural publications throughout the world.