Ngulla Mia Boarding Facility
Project Details
Architects
EIW Architects
Address
295 Manning Road Waterford, WA 6983 Australia
Submitter
EIW Architects
Cost
$9 558 600.00 + GST
Photographer
PAID Photography
Project Overview
Ngulla Mia Boarding Facility at the Clontarf Aboriginal College campus is designed to respond to the social intricacies of aboriginal students. Coming from strong family groups, often from remote communities, students thrive on peer support and strong friendships. The facility accommodates 120 students and support staff in shared rooms.
Ngulla Mia accommodates girls and boys in a residential learning facility on the Clontarf Aboriginal College site in Waterford, a suburb on the banks of the Canning River in Perth.
The project encompasses a multitude of aboriginal students from around Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The students are in shared rooms within larger social groups and supported by a myriad of learning settings integrated through the facility. The scale and layout of the spaces rejects the institutional nature of traditional boarding houses and develops a sense of place that provides a home environment.
The use of natural materials with timber and rammed earth, together with culturally inspired colour schemes, soft furnishings and accessible courtyards, provides students with a unique living and learning experience.
Ngulla Mia sets a new standard in making a home for students. It isn’t about control and discipline but about relationships and respect. It isn’t about simply housing students but adding value to the learning environment they share with the College. Settings for learning have been incorporated throughout the facility in a diverse range of spaces. Ngulla Mia was opened by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in October 2011 and was awarded the MBA Bankwest Excellence in Construction Awards – Best Accommodation Building 2011.
