Woodhead is a major player in shaping places and spaces in the Northern Territory amidst complex and challenging issues.
Woodhead has been working in the Northern Territory for over forty years completing projects in both urban and remote locations, working successfully with indigenous communities and organisations. Through this work, we have been exposed to the breadth and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and have learnt to sit and listen and understand the requirements of our client communities and groups.
Work has ranged from preparation of community development plans to design and construction of homes, health, education, tourism, commercial and community facilities. Our work has not only won us several territory and national awards, but has set precedents for working in remote locations, such as the first Green Star accreditation for projects both in Alice Springs and Darwin.
We understand the unique nature of designing and building in the Northern Territory and are mindful of
The economic and social benefits of projects to the communities we work for
The challenges of availability and supply of materials and resources in remote locations
The issues of site access to remote sites
The appropriate selection and coordination of builders and trades servgices
The importance of site appropriate and culturally responsive design, and
The imperative to designing environmentally sensitive and responsive solutions for the tropics and arid zones.
The key to our continued success in these locations is our ability of effectively communicate with communities and organisations. This success is best exemplified by some of our past projects and clients, including:
Central Land Council, Alice Springs
Winner of both the George Chaloupka Award for Interior Architecture and The Australian Institute of Architects Commendation for Sustainable Architecture at the AIA Northern Territory Chapter awards, 2010. The Central Land Council is headquarters for 140 staff, whose task it is to represent indigenous constituents in matters involving land acquisition, native title claims, sacred sites, land management, land use proposals, economic development and public awareness, began operating from the new facility, which will serve over 24,000 constituents across 771,747km2 of Central Australia. The facility is located on a sacred site in Alice Springs, and is also earmarked to achieve the first Green Star rating in Alice Springs.
Jacana House, Darwin
Registered for 5 Star Green Star Office Design, the buildings design and operation reflect a range of best practice objectives specific to its tropical location. This 9 level commercial office development was completed in 2009 and is now occupied by a range of blue chip tenants including government departments. The building boasts a 100% active street frontage with two retail spaces and a generous entry lobby. The development also includes a green roof and accessible green terrace spaces.
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
The Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education is a facility with joint Commonwealth and Territory funding located in the town of Batchelor, approximately 100km south of Darwin on the road to Litchfield National Park. The Institute approached Woodhead to design a building on the campus to accommodate offices for the academic research staff and an ‘e-learning laboratory’ for in-house computer projection based teaching and two way video communication for remote teaching.
Imparja Studio, Alice Springs
This landmark building was the first fully digital television station in Australia. The striking ochre, white and yellow exterior is well shaded by expansive lengths of louvered sun shades and sits in stark contrast to the vivid blue Alice Springs skies, and the grey / green of the native Australian landscaping and interior finishes. The building comprises an undercroft carparking space, office and meeting space for Imparja staff, technical support areas, acoustically designed audio / visual editing and production booths and a large filming studio. The huge broadcasting satellite dishes, which are perched on the roof, give much needed presence and height to what is a high profile corner in the centre of town.
