2023 Community Development

Project Details

• Location: Lands of the Yalaba Yalaba, Yorta Yorta, Bunurong and Wurundjeri People.
• Dates: 20 Nov – 10 Dec

Bower Studio projects generally focus on a single community per semester program. However, this program partnered with two community groups across multiple sites at Cummeragunja (New South Wales), Springvale South and Dandenong (Victoria).

During the first week the team visited the Yalaba Yalaba community living at Cummeragunja on the Dungala (Murray) River in New South Wales while the second and third weeks were focussed with the Afri-Aus Care community in Springvale.

Since 2019 Bower Studio has developed a robust relationship with elders at Cummeragunja including the design and construction of a pavilion on the riverbank and facilities at the memorial park during Bower 21 and 23 projects.

The pavilion, constructed as part of Cummeragunja’s On Country Learning Precinct, used three unseasoned timber posts which had shrunk and required bolts and strapping to be tightened. Our maintenance program provided a useful opportunity for the students to get to know each other, meet Cummeragunja Elders, camp on country for three nights while also learning consultation and building skills. Ideas for future work in the community were discussed.

The second and third weeks of the project were in collaboration with the African refugee community at Springvale to co-design and construct an outdoor kitchen/relaxation space by Afri-Aus Care’s kitchen garden.

The collaboration began in 2019 with Bower invited to work with the Afri-Aus Care community and Stavrias Architecture to design a new community centre to better serve the needs of the members of the African refugee community. Afri-Aus Care’s mission includes addressing food security, physical and mental health alongside their advocacy for marginalized youth.

Afri-Aus Care is working towards developing a $10M community centre planned for completion in 2027. As part of the consultation process Bower students were involved in an action research project to test design opportunities. This ‘laboratory’ project required the team to work on-site for six days to design and build a pavilion with a variety of roof finishes, install patterned paving, build a decorative fence, and paint a mural.

The designs were not finalised before construction began to incorporate concepts that emerged during the on-site consultations taking place between Bower students and the community. The community members direct engagement allowed the paving, roof and mural to be designed in close partnership and at 1:1 scale.

At the completion of the building phase the students presented their ideas for future infrastructure projects – both at the South Springvale site and in central Dandenong where the Afri-Aus Care program is looking to expand their community projects.