Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this website may contain images of people who have died.

2017 – Wadeye, NT

• 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]

2016 – Sipaia (PNG) & Wave Hill, Kalkarindji, NT

• 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 [Read it on EMTV]
• National Newspaper Papua New Guinea 15 December 2015: Two new toilets in Sipaia to improve sanitation

2015 – Areyonga & Amoonguna Communities, NT

• 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 [ Read it on MUSSE | Download as PDF ]
• The Age 8 May 2015: Architecture students create vital infrastructure in remote communities [ Read it on The Age | Download as PDF ]

2014 – Titjikala (NT)

• 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

2013 – Belyuen (NT)

• 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 http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/resources_teach/video_vig/

2012 – Bellary Springs (WA) and Sipaia (PNG)

• 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’ http://architel.tv/episode-8-container-architecture-pilbara/
• 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

2011 – Wakathuni (WA)

• 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

2010 – Gudorrka and Knuckeys Lagoon (NT)

• 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.

2009 – Gudorrka (NT)

• 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

2018. Venice Architecture Biennale

The Wave Hill Walk-off Pavilions were selected for the ‘Repair’ exhibition at the Australian Pavilion Australian Institute of Architects

2016. Yali-McNamara Award for Small Project Architecture

Australian Institute of Architects

2015. Innovation Award - Planning and Building

Australian Regional Development (ARDC)

Bower Studio HomesPLUS

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.

Matt Breen, Ilari Lehtonen & 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.

David O’Brien

2012. Rio Tinto Excellence and Innovation in Indigenous Higher Education

"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."

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

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

2012. Neville Quarry Architectural Education Prize - Commendation

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."

Hannah Robertson

2011. Royal Institute of British Architects Dissertation Medal

Hannah Robertson received the prestigious Dissertation Medal for her work Bush Owner Builder, which developed culturally sensitive and appropriate housing for a remote Aboriginal community in Australia. "This thoughtful and thorough piece of work shows how architecture students are providing clever and sensitive solutions that aspire to vastly improve people's quality of life," Institute president Angela Brady said.

Fiona Lew

2010. BlueScope Steel Glenn Murcutt Student Prize

Fiona was awarded the prize for her work Single Men’s Community at Palmerston Indigenous Village - 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

After participating in the 2008 Bower Studio, students Allison Stout, Charlotte Fliegner and Karina Piper received funding to continue the project into 2009 and liaise with the Gudorrka community. Their consultation and designs informed the 2009 Bower Studio engagement and led to the renovation of House 8 at Gudorrka.

View Map