The Ngarinyin and Bunuba people
Western Australia
Manjali Studio School is a Years 7–9 campus located on Bunuba Country in the Fitzroy Valley, Kimberley, designed in close partnership with the Bunuba community and Studio Schools of Australia (SSA). Named Manjali, meaning “shining rock,” the school sits on a quartz-rich hilltop and embodies SSA’s two-way Learning on Country model, enabling students to remain connected to culture, community and place.
Developed through an extensive on-Country co-design process with Elders, students and community, the campus is arranged along a single contour, forming a connected series of learning pavilions, residential houses, dining and recreation spaces around a central oval. Buildings are oriented toward the Devonian Range, a place of deep cultural significance.
Constructed using modular and flat-pack systems suited to the project’s extreme remoteness, the school is off-grid, prioritising sustainability and local capacity building, including investment in Indigenous-owned businesses. It sets a national benchmark for community-led educational design in remote Australia.
Working with Lyons on the Manjali School has been an exceptional experience and a powerful example of genuine co-design. Lyons demonstrated deep respect for Bunuba Country, culture and governance, embedding Learning on Country and two-way education throughout the process. Their commitment to being on Country, listening to Elders, students and community, and translating those conversations into a culturally grounded design was clear. The campus responds beautifully to place through its siting, orientation and colours reflecting the six Bunuba seasons. Lyons also created meaningful opportunities for local Indigenous businesses. The school sets a new benchmark for co-created educational infrastructure.
Carey Lyon, Design Architect
Sue Handley, Project Architect
Stephanie Pahnis, Design Architect
Dylan Findlay, Graduate of Architecture
WSP, Structural Engineer, Civic and Hydraulic Engineer, Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, Fire Services and Sustainability/ESD
QS Service, Quantity Surveyor
Urbis, Town Planner
DCWC, Project Manager