South Australia
Ngutungka, Kaurna for Place of Knowledge, has a design narrative built around ‘exchange’. Exchange of knowledge, ideas, creativity and skills. A place for sharing, learning, discovery, discussion and fun.
Located in the civic heart of the new WEST precinct, Ngutungka occupies the ground level and is part of Brown Falconer’s precinct design to create a hub for a new community. Intentionally located, Ngutungka was designed in consideration of the overall master plan to provide community amenity, liven the Main Street and activate the oval and plaza.
The interior is as an extension of the ‘urban context’ providing a ‘small city’ experience with laneways, a highly textured palette and diversity of form expression. The civic library, a free and public service, encourages community contribution, activity and participation. It is a uniquely adaptable, flexible, inclusive and tactile environment that through its changeability continues to surprise and delight its visitors.
With a desire to remain relevant to the community in response to a shift in the ways the community interacts with community facilities, Ngutungka West Lakes is a community hub with a design that seamlessly integrates Library and Community Development offerings and has become a centre of excellence for literacy, learning, innovation, and discovery.
The design has enabled the blending of both libraries and community centres into an integrated cohesive hub offering responsive innovative programs and collections as well as an inviting ‘third space’ for the City of Charles Sturt’s diverse community to connect with each other.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
