The Larrakia Development Corporation is continuing its progress, delivering the world class Larrakia Cultural Centre. Design was undertaken by Darwin based Rossi Architects in collaboration with Susan Dugdale & Associates in Alice Springs.
The site is located on the waterfront near the Stokes Hill sacred site, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
A Birditj Gwiyarlwa ‘ground turning’ Ceremony was held on site to celebrate the start of construction on 10 May 2024.
The Larrakia Development Corporation is pleased to announce award of the Larrakia Cultural Centre construction tender to locally owned and operated construction company Sunbuild, following a detailed tendering process. On the construction phase, the target for Indigenous employment is 30% across the whole of project workforce, and an Indigenous subcontracting target of 15%. The Larrakia Development Corporation will work with Sunbuild to drive meaningful engagement and work pathways for our local Larrakia and Indigenous people and businesses.
An early works demolition package was completed in 2023 by local Darwin company NTEX and was funded through the Northern Territory Government. NTEX and their subcontractors were tasked with achieving 30% Aboriginal employment on this project, but actually achieved 53% during their project works. To help achieve this target, Aboriginal training organisation Grassroots Youth Engagement worked with NTEX to provide employment and training opportunities for local Aboriginal youth. NTEX was also assisted on the project by Larrakia consultant Tony Lee.
The Larrakia Development Corporation project team and designers are working in collaboration with the Larrakia Cultural Centre Working Group who provide cultural design considerations and guidance. The Working Group has been a part of this project since 2017 and are the driving force behind the progress of the Larrakia Cultural Centre to this point.
The Larrakia Cultural Centre building design evokes a bird in flight, a Larrakia ancestral being, protecting the land and the people. The logo is a representation of the building form and one of the ancestral beings related to the sacred site at Stokes Hill, and was painted by Mr. Joe Raymond.
The Larrakia Cultural Centre landscaping is reflective of the land and water, and the design includes monsoon, savanna and coastal landscapes as found across Larrakia Country.
The Larrakia Development Corporations’ strong commercial, governance and business acumen will deliver a world standard cultural experience that will benefit the NT’s economy for decades to come.
Refer to our media releases for more details.
