Auburn High School Senior Centre by WOWOWA Architects

Durrmu (KK) in ‘Terra’ features artwork by Kathleen Korda. The design has been integrated throughout the project on acoustic panels as part of the ongoing Autex Acoustics x Willie Weston collaboration.

The new senior hub at Auburn High School by WOWOWA Architects combines bold colour and playful design with a sensitivity to the pedagogical goals of the dynamic learning environment. Located on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, the project responds to the site’s dramatic topography, First Nations heritage and industrial history. This approach has shaped a vivid array of learning and social spaces, which include Willie Weston’s Durrmu (KK) design by Kathleen Korda and Renewed by Lisa Waup.

Positioned on the northwest corner of a former brick quarry, the two-storey building steps down the steep slope, aligning with the site’s natural contours to create distinct, zoned learning and social spaces. Acoustic panels featuring Durrmu (KK) in ‘Terra’ and Renewed in ‘Grevillea’ from the ongoing Autex Acoustics x Willie Weston collaboration offer aesthetic and acoustic benefits, while distinct design features and colour palette amplify the project’s immersive quality.

Distinct, zoned learning and social spaces benefit from the acoustic properties of panels featuring Kathleen’s Durrmu (KK) design in ‘Terra’.

Suggesting an empathetic way forward for the design of contemporary Australian educational facilities, the inclusion of Willie Weston designs in this exciting new space adds depth and originality to the project, enriching the everyday experience of those who learn and teach within the space.

The delicate scale of Kathleen’s design helps to add texture to a space and can be selected to unify colour and material palettes.

Durrmu (KK) by Kathleen Korda is from our Durrmu Collection and represents traditional body painting designs applied to male and female faces and torsos for ceremonial dance. The dots are referred to as durrmu - which also means painting.

Kathleen, who recently passed away, was a valued member of the Peppimenarti community, where she established herself as a leading weaver. Women from this region are known for their fibre work and delicate paintings that reference their cultural practices.

Durrmu (KK) is also available in a range of commercial upholstery and drapery base cloths, as well as a High Performance / Outdoor option that is well suited to high-traffic interiors.

Renewed by Lisa Waup in ‘Grevillea’ has been included in the project on Autex Acoustics x Willie Weston acoustic panels.

Lisa Waup is a mixed-cultural First Nations artist and curator, born in Naarm (Melbourne), with Gunditjmara (VIC), Torres Strait Islander (QLD) and Italian heritage. Her multidisciplinary practice spans weaving, printmaking, photography, sculpture, fashion, and digital art.

Renewed by Lisa Waup in ‘Grevillea’ represents growth and change, and a shifting of seasons after the dryness of summer, when the rain runs away from Country after being baked for weeks by intense heat.

The design evokes new beginnings; as microorganisms grow, they will flourish and provide care for many other living creatures.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Auburn High School Senior Centre: Martina Gemmola
Lisa Waup: Peter Tarasuik