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About Bower

Bower Studios are a sequence of Master of Architecture build/consult/design projects at The University of Melbourne’s School of Design. They involve students working alongside indigenous groups in remote locations in Australia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea to improve their built environments.
Our Team

Bower’s leadership team demonstrates diverse and complementary skill sets. Most are ex-Bower graduates who excel at building community relationships and mentoring new student groups.

The Bower Studio thanks its sponsors past and present

Wave Hill Walk-off Pavilions, Bower Studio, featured in Gunyah, Goondie + Wurley: The Aboriginal Architecture of Australia, 2022
Architecture and Design, December 2022, Cross-cultural Collaboration on Gurindji Country, pp14-16.
Architecture and Design, 26 May 2022, The River Land, Gina Dahl and Bower Studio
Dezeen, 16 December 2021: The River Land (Karungkarni Arts Centre) by Gina Dahl
Architecture & Design 11 September 2019: Retrospective showcases Bower Studio’s community projects [Read it on Architecture & Design]
NITV Radio 10 September 2019: Architectural projects making a difference in remote communities [Read and listen on NITV Radio]
Shepparton News 12 April 2019: VCAL students complete university subject [Read it on Shepparton News]
Wave Hill Walk-off Pavilions, Bower Studio, referenced in Repair: Australian Pavilion, 16th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, 2018
Wakathuni Early Learning Center, Bower Studio, in The Design-Build Studio: Crafting Meaningful Work in Architectural Education, 2018
The National newspaper Papua New Guinea 20 December 2018: Aussie students build toilet, classroom for Tumarawa [Read it on The National]
ABC Radio Darwin 4 July 2018: Interview with Bower Studio/University of Melbourne's David O'Brien
Green Magazine 18 April 2018: Australian Pavilion at 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale revealed [Read it on Grean Magazine]
Architecture AU 13 April 2018: Australian projects to hit the world stage at Venice Architecture Biennale [Read it on Architecture AU]
The Fifth Estate 12 April 2018: Repair and nature-sensitive design at Venice Architecture Biennale [Read it on The Fifth Estate]
ABC Radio Darwin 5 June 2017
NT News 8 June 2017: New home to help save artefacts
ABC Radio Darwin 19 June 2017
Architecture AU 19 June 2017: Winners Revealed – 2017 NT Architecture Awards [Read it on ArchitectureAU] – Wave Hill NT
Architecture & Design 19 June 2017: 2017 NT Territory Architecture Awards winners announced [Read it on Architecture & Design]
Norwich University School of Architecture and Art Design/Build Symposium: April 14, 2017 [Watch on Vimeo]
NU SoAA D/B Symposium - Relationship of D/B to Practice [Watch on Vimeo]
ABC Radio Melbourne Breakfast 11 August 2016
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association Radio 11 August 2016
Radio Larrakia 12 August 2016
ABC Radio Darwin 20 August 2016
Pursuit 22 August 2016: Indigenous Memory-making meets architecture [Read it on Pursuit]
EMTV 14 December 2016: Custom-built toilets for Climate Change Adaptation at Morobeen Village
National Newspaper Papua New Guinea 15 December 2015: Two new toilets in Sipaia to improve sanitation
ABC Radio Sydney 21 April 2015
National Indigenous Radio Service 23 April 2015
ABC Radio Adelaide 23 April 2015
ABC Radio Northern Territory 27 April 2015 [ Download MP3 (12.4MB) ]
Koori Radio Sydney 20 April 2015
SYN FM Melbourne 21 April 2015
SBS Radio 23 April 2015
Centralian Advocate 24 April 2015 [ Download as PDF ]
MUSSE 15 April 2015: Students build shelter with remote Indigenous communities [Download as PDF ]
The Age 8 May 2015: Architecture students create vital infrastructure in remote communities [Download as PDF ]
World Architects eMagazine Top 10 worldwide design/build programs that are making a difference.
Pursuit Magazine, Times Higher Education Supplement March 2014 Indigenous Housing by Design
Architecture and Design 12 May 2014 Indigenous Outdoor Housing Designed by Architecture Students
ABC Darwin 6 May 2014
ABC Alice Springs 6 May 2014
Darwin Sunday Territorian 18 May 2014
Koori Mail 21 May 2014
Centralian Advocate 9 May 2014‪
MUSSE May 12, 2014 Designing and building living spaces for remote communities | MUSSE
Sanctuary Magazine Issue 26 Autumn 2014 Humanitarian Architecture
ABC Darwin 18 September 2013
Koori Mail
Wagaitear Vol 12. No 10. October 2013
Melbourne University Magazine August 2013 Building for Indigenous Communities
CSHE 2013 Using ‘real world’ experiences for student learning
Victorian Architect Winter 2012
Gumala Radio 29 June 2012
Architecture and Design’ 16 July 2012 Architecture students collaborate with Pilbara's Indigenous community on new hall
Container Architecture ‘ArchiTel TV’
Koori Mail July 11 2012
Post-Courier 22 November 2012‪
MUSSE Jul 24, 2012 Guest Column with Dr David O'Brien | MUSSE
‪MUSSE Aug 8, 2012 Architecture, Building and Planning academic honoured by Rio...
‪MUSSE Nov 12, 2012 Recognising excellence in teaching | MUSSE
The Age Newspaper 18 July 2011 Students help build better future for isolated children
ABC Radio National ‘Bush Telegraph’ 8 July 2011
ABC Radio North West 27 June 2011
SBS Radio ‘Living Black’ 22 June 2011
The Age Newspaper 21 June 2011
Visions July 15 2011 Construction for Community Podcast
Pilbara Echo 16 July 2011 Official Opening of the Gumala 0-5 Studio
ArchDaily 18 July 2011 Early Childhood Learning Centre
Koori Mail 30 June 2010
SBS ‘Living Black’ 22 August 2010
SBS ‘News’ 22 August 2010
ABC Darwin 18 May 2010 Shipping Containers Help Local Community.
The Age 6 July 2010
The Age Voice Vol 6. No 8. September 12 2010 Shelter, Space and a Community Place
Visions Episode 85. September 17 2010 Making of a Media Box
Open Architecture Network 2010 Gudorrka and Knuckeys Lagoon Media Boxes.
ABC Triple J ‘Hack’ 24 August 2009.
ABC Darwin ‘Morning Show’ 16 June 2009
ABC1 ‘Stateline’ 3 July 2009
ABC Radio ‘Connect Asia’ 19 October 2009

Bower Studio

2022 - University of Melbourne Excellence Award

Excellence in Placed-based Initiatives – Cummeragunja Project Team - a collaboration with the Cummeragunja Community, Bower Studio at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, and the Academy of Sport, Health and Education.

2018 - Exhibited at Venice Architecture Biennale

The Wave Hill Walk-off Pavilions were selected for the ‘Repair’ exhibition at the Australian Pavilion at the Architecture Biennale, Venice, Italy.

2016 - Yali-McNamara Award for Small Project Architecture

Australian Institute of Architects prize for the Walk-off Pavilions on Gurindji Country, Northern Territory.

2015 - Innovation Award - Planning and Building

Australian Regional Development (ARDC) for HomePlus projects 2013, 2014

2014 - Vice-Chancellor’s Engagement Award

This award recognized the Bower Studio’s innovative HomesPLUS projects at the Beyuen and Titjikala (NT) communities. It noted the team’s capacity to positively engage with community groups and industry partners.

David O’Brien

Rio Tinto Excellence and Innovation in Indigenous Higher Education 2012

"David O'Brien is to be congratulated for developing and delivering such a program over many years, and for involving a wide range of community and corporate partners in order to help support it. The Rio Award is a well-deserved accolade for this excellent program."

Australian Government Office for Learning & Teaching Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning 2012

For innovative and collaborative approaches to engaging architecture students with Indigenous communities to realise development projects alongside local partners.

Neville Quarry Architectural Education Prize – Commendation 2012

Jury Chair Brian Zulaikha noted in the commendation citation "The Jury acknowledged Dr O’Brien’s dedication to research and his integration of this into the Bower Studios program. The studios produce a student culture which is deeply interested in the indigenous architecture of many communities. Students have the unique experience of engaging with the community to deliver meaningful outcomes as well as the practical application of going on-site to construct the designs."

Student Awards

Gina Dahl

2022 DesignInc Positive Legacy of Design Award

Dean’s Honours List, awarded for the best design from any discipline that shows the potential to have positive social and ecological outcomes or legacy

Victoria King and Daniel Bisetto

2018 John McIlwraith Award

Victoria and Dan consulted with Gurindji, Warlpiri and Mudburra people to co-design the arts centre renovation.

Georgia Hall and David Gerber

2017 John McIlwraith Award

This award supported Georgia and David conduct qualitative based post-occupancy studies at the 2018 Bower Studio project at Sipaia.

Matt Breen, Ilari Lehtonen and Trevor Galgal

2013 Dreamlarge Student Engagement Award

This award enabled students Matthew Breen, llari Lehtonen and Trevor Galgal to return to Papua New Guinea to research and refine the prototype composting toilet design built by the Bower Studio at the Sipaia Community in 2012.

Fiona Lew

2010 BlueScope Steel Glenn Murcutt Student Prize

Fiona was awarded the prize for her Bower Studio work designing Single Men’s Community at Gudorrka - an examination of suitable self-help housing for itinerant men near Darwin. The awards jury said they “appreciated Fiona’s resolution of simple shelter housing that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate indigenous patterns of living with elements that can be added or subtracted”.

Allison Stout, Charlotte Fliegner & Karina Piper

2008 University of Melbourne Knowledge Transfer Award

Bower Studio students Allison, Charlotte and Karina received funding to continue the project into 2009, liaising with the Gudorrka community to renovate House 8.

What is Homes Plus?

Homes Plus is a new way of delivering housing options for Indigenous Communities in Australia. This program considers both the house itself but also the additional items you may wish to add to your house to make it your home. Items such as shading, screening and outdoor shelters for cooking or for your cars will help to make your new home more suitable for the way you live.

Working through this website (or the catalogue) you will see you can select a home and a number of add ons, depending on your needs and budget. The Add Ons will be delivered to site with your home and you will be joined by the Homes Plus team to build them yourself, or with a few friends, depending on how big the project is. For the first few Add Ons, the Homes Plus team will be there to help out but before long you and your friends will have all the skills you need to build the Add Ons yourselves.

Download Catalogue

Example Construction Manual

Bower Homes Plus at Belyuen 2013

Stage 1: 80% help from outside the community. Stage 2: 50% help from outside the community. Stage 3: 0% help from outside the community.

How can I get involved?

If you are eligible for a new home, contact your Aboriginal Corporation to see if they are involved in the project. In the mean time, you can view the Homes and Add Ons on the website (or in the catalogue) to see what Home and Add Ons will be best for you.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the Homes Plus team by email.

djobrien@unimelb.edu.au

Dr. David O'Brien

Phone: 03 8344 8761
Email: djobrien@unimelb.edu.au
Address: Melbourne School of Design (Building 133)
University of Melbourne VIC 3010
AUSTRALIA

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Bower 23 Community Development

Co-Design and Co-Build

Lands of the Yorta Yorta, Bunurong and Wurundjeri People

Thanks for showing your interest in joining this year’s Bower Studio Community Development elective subject worth 12.5 credit points. I’m really looking forward to this subject. It’s always a joy to work with students, community groups and collaborate to produce meaningful projects.

We will start our program by visiting our project with the indigenous Cummeragunja community at the Dungala (Murray) River on the border of Victoria and New South Wales.

We will also be undertaking the main ‘build’ part of the project with the African Refugee community at Springvale designing and constructing an outdoor kitchen/relaxation space by their kitchen garden. The designs have not been fully finalised but will likely include paving and a pergola structure plus timber furniture. We will work with the community to do the design and construction work (don’t worry if you haven’t used tools before as we will teach you). This project will form a ‘pattern book’ of ideas to help inform the design of the proposed community centre. The community is called Afri-AusCare.

We have been allocated 3 weeks for the program (between 20th November and 8th December). This is scheduled to be after your studio hand-ins and exams so there will not be a clash with other uni commitments. There will be a short preliminary session on Monday 6th November so we can prepare for the studio program together. Final submission is 8th December.

I will admit that it can be challenging to address and schedule the many intersecting complexities around consultations, teaching, designing and building alongside pragmatics like travel and accommodation. This is not your usual university subject and Bower Studio has a reputation for thriving in complex situations and producing a range of excellent student outputs. I’m trying to settle the exact travel dates for the program atm – not always an easy thing to tie down with partner communities I’m afraid!! I am anticipating that we will visit our existing project at Cummeragunja for two/three days/nights in the first week.

Following that we will begin the key construction/design works with a new partner community in Springvale. This means that we can commute from our homes to the site for that second week. The third week might have some final construction finishes but the bulk of the time will be on the final assessment task.

The handbook suggests that the travel and accommodation costs might be up to $2300. This is unlikely to be the case if you can carpool your travel to Cummeragunja and Springvale. I would allow $100 each person for fuel for all site visits (if you can carpool). Accommodation for Bower students when working at Cummeragunja has traditionally been ‘on country’ with students camping – so that won’t cost anything if you can get your hands on some gear. (Don’t worry if you haven’t camped before – we are experts at helping you learn).

The good news is that we have secured some philanthropic funds to support each student with a $200 stipend (which might also help you buy some new camping gear and cover travel costs!!).

There will be other Bower Studio staff joining us during the full program including Nicky Henderson and James Neil, plus additional staff from Stavrias Architecture and visits from Maggie Sisila (my PhD student from Tanzania). They are a great group of people, talented teachers and really, knowledgeable designers and builders.

A couple of final points…

We will need some members of our team to have a driver’s licence and access to a car so please tell me if you can help with this. We have had plenty of students joining us for their first camping trip so it doesn't matter if you haven't done this before. You will be in safe hands.

You don't need to have building experience. We will teach everyone how to safely use the tools required for the project. You will feel like a pro when you return!

It won't matter if you don't know anyone on the team (yet). Really strong friendships have emerged within groups of Bower students as they share a life changing experience together.

Please also submit a 250 word statement saying why you would like to participate. Send this directly to the Bower Studio team at this email address: bower.studio.info@gmail.com and to me at djobrien@unimelb.edu.au

Please feel free to get back to me if you have any questions.

Regards, David

djobrien@unimelb.edu.au

2023 Kalkaringi, NT

2022 Cummeragunja, NSW

2021 Kalkaringi, NT

2021 Cummeragunja, NSW

2020 Kalkaringi, NT

2019 Kalkaringi, NT

2018 Suanum & 2019 Sirr, PNG

2018 Kalkaringi, NT

2017 Wadeye, NT

2016 Sipaia, PNG

2016 Wave Hill, NT

2015 Areyonga, NT

2015 Amoonguna, NT

2014 Suanum, PNG

2014 Titjikala, NT

2013 Belyuen, NT

2012 Sipaia, PNG

2012 Bellary Springs, WA

2011 Wakathuni, WA

2010 Gudorrka, NT

2010 Knuckeys Lagoon, NT

2010 Morobe Province, PNG

2009 Gudorrka, NT

2008 Gudorrka, NT

2008 Nong Tong Lim, Thailand

About Bower

Our Team