Walumba Elders Centre

Location: Australia Project title: Walumba Elders Centre Authors: iredalepedersen hook architects
Project Year: 2013-2014 Architecture team: Finn Pedersen, Adrian Iredale, Martyn Hook, Joel Fuller,
Rebecca Angus, Jason Lenard, Nikki Ross, Caroline Di Costa, Khairanikhalifah, Drew Penhale, Mary
Mcaree, Layla Cluer, Jonathan Alach, Matt Fletcher, Jonathon Ware Photographs: Peter Bennetts

On the 13th of March 2011 the Giga people's home town of Warmun, some 20okm south of
Kununurra, was devastated by a catastrophic 1:300 year flood event. 300 people were relocated to
Kununurra for 12 months while some 100 houses were rebuilt. Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects
were tasked with rebuilding the community facility buildings and the old Walumba Aged Care
centre. Working directly with the community elders and the Home and Community Care staff, iph
designed a new home for the elders based on their Cultural and social needs, while still complying
with the requirements of an Aged Care Centre that can provide a range of services under the
Commonwealth flexible aged care provisions The site was selected to be close to the school and
town centre to ensure the Elders are able to continue their role as educators and Cultural leaders.
This site was still in the flood zone so the facility was designed to be above the 2011 flood level-
standing some 3m off the ground like a bridge or jetty, and linked to the ground with a stone pitched
driveway, walkways and stairs The Centre performs several functions, it is the home for the
residents and staff who have a range of living support needs, it provides a commercial kitchen for
the residents and a meals-on-wheels service, laundry, a common dining and activity area which is
aiso a central meeting and celebration areas for the community, gender specific private activity
areas to allow for gender specific Cultural activities to occur and a generous courtyard for the
residents to enjoy The common area has a fire pit to aliow for the cooking of bush foods, and art
troughs and space for a range of activities. It is overlooked by the laundry-a drum-like feature and
the administration area. the two wings of the building create men and women spaces while the The
form of the building responds to the dramatic landscape of Warmun- *beachhead of the entry and
common activity area anchors the building to the land e roojs define generous verandah spaces,
folding to provide shade and weuther protection. Due to the heat of the area night time activities
dre wry important to the community so the facility is lit with LED lights provide safe activity spaces
and to address CPTED issues raised by night thm activities in the community