LIyan-Ngan nyirrwa (cultural Wellness centre)
CLIENT
Nyamba Buru Yawuru
LOCATION
Broome, Western Australia
YEAR
2017 - 2020
COLLABORATors
Nyamba Buru Yawuru; MudMap Studio; Laird Tran Studio; UDLA; Bart Pigram; Artists Martha Lee, Suzie Gilbert Terricita Corpus, Lorraine Hunter, Michael Torres, Arnold Smith, Savannah Cox, Damien Lawford, Kirra Watson.
SERVICES
Landscape architecture, community engagement, art facilitation
awards
2020 Western Australian Landscape Architecture Awards, WA Medal.
2020 Western Australian Landscape Architecture Awards, Award of Excellence in the Health and Education Landscape category.
2020 Western Australian Landscape Architecture Awards, Regional Achievement Award.
The Liyan-ngan Nyirrwa (Cultural Wellness Centre) is a community meeting place located in the Cable Beach area of Broome on the grounds of Nyamba Buru Yawuru. The Centre is designed to foster the revitalisation of Yawuru culture through landscape architecture and architecture which reflects mabu liyan (good feeling). The purpose of Liyan-ngan Nyirrwa is to create mabu liyan ngarrungu (good feeling for everyone).
MudMap Studio’s role throughout the project was the facilitation of visioning workshops, concept development, design development, construction documentation of the landscape works, and art facilitation.
The Liyan-ngan Nyirrwa is a place to honour and celebrate Yawuru people and a place for healing and reconciliation, designed to maximise cultural wellness for the community.
Today, the Liyan-ngan Nyirrwa is a centre for many cultural activities, including cultural practice and incubation activities; reviving Yawuru material culture; reviving Yawuru Nurlu (traditional song and dance); development of both contemporary and traditional dance and music; respect for elders and ancestors; story telling; bush cooking; outdoor community events; and, training, workshops & meetings.
MudMap Studio worked with eight Yawuru artists to coordinate the design and production of 14 public art pieces for the Centre. These pieces take pride of place in the landscape, to tell stories of Yawuru culture, people and place.
MudMap Studio’s approach for this project allowed for cultural exchange within the design process, offering an example of a working method that is truly collaborative and respectful. The resulting landscape is one that has been uniquely designed with and for the end-user, a health and wellbeing landscape unique to its community and context.
“The centre will be a good outlet for the community to come together and heal. That it is for their liyan; to feel good. For the young ones to learn and understand their history." Tonii Skeen, Yawuru Youth Leader
“This centre will act as a healing place where the values and strengths of Yawuru people can be shared with others in an environment of mutual tolerance and acceptance. It will be a place for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, where two big spirits can become one.” Patrick Dodson, Shadow Assistant Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Labor Senator for Western Australia.
Images: Nyamba Buru Yawuru, MudMap Studio.
