Wodi Wodi people, Dharawal Country
NSW
The Centre offers comprehensive services for victim/survivors of family, domestic, and sexual violence, with practical, evidence-based support. A collaborative effort involving the Leadership Team, Women with Lived-Experience Advisory Group, and Aboriginal Women’s Reference Group, the Centre was designed with a trauma-informed approach. Co-design workshops focused on themes of welcome, support, privacy, and security, integrating natural light and scenic views.
A “Connecting to Country” framework informed cultural safety for Aboriginal women, with the design featuring symbolic elements like a coolamon in the ceiling. The Centre, imagined as a turtle shell – protective externally and warm and inviting internally – prioritizes a calming, secure environment for recovery. Flexible spaces accommodate various practitioners, with careful attention to acoustic and visual privacy. The project’s all-female team directed its holistic design.
Fast-tracked due to urgent need and supported by ongoing evaluation, the Centre serves as a prototype for future expansion to combat Australia’s family violence crisis.
Declined to submit due to client sensitivities.
Margie Rahmann, Director, Senior Interior Designer
Lexie Wei Fan, Graduate of Architecture
Nadine Tong, Interior Designer
NSW Public Works Advisory, Project Manager
Credwell, ESD Consultant
Edmiston Jones, Interior Designer
Group DLA, Building Surveyor
MMJ Wollongong, Town Planner
Funktion, Access
Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre Leadership Team, Co-designers
Lived Experience Advisory Group, Co-designers
Aboriginal Women’s Reference Group, Co-designers
ZakPage Storytelling, First Nations Consultant