Sumit Singhal
The Great Wall of WA in North Western Australia by Luigi Rosselli Architects
July 24th, 2016 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Luigi Rosselli Architects
The longest rammed earth wall in Australia and – probably – the southern hemisphere, has been selected as a finalist in the (Australian Institute of Architects) Western Australia architecture awards.
At 230 metres long, the rammed earth wall meanders along the edge of a sand dune and encloses twelve earth covered residences, created to provide short-term accommodation for a cattle station during mustering season. With their 450mm thick rammed earth facade and the sand dune to their rear and forming their roofs, the residences have the best thermal mass available, making them naturally cool in the subtropical climate.
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Rammed earth extracted from the local clay pans, pebbles and gravel quarried from the river bed are the palette of materials that blend into the landscape. The pavilion at the top is the multi-functional hub, meeting room and chapel., Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The rammed earth wall (construction) is composed of the iron rich, sandy clay that is a dominant feature of the site, gravel obtained from the adjacent river and (bonded with) water from the local bore (hole).
The design of the accommodation represents a new approach to remote North Western Australia architecture, moving away from the sun baked, thin corrugated metal shelters to naturally cooled architectural earth formations.
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The residences are stepped to maintain a level of privacy on each covered veranda. There are contiguous but are not internally linked. The rear walls of the residences are buried under the sand dune, Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The awning roof is a Cor-Ten steel cyclonic shade frame, mirrored by a concrete slab on (the) ground. The concrete slab contains gravel and aggregates from the local river, which lend a reddish colour to its polished surface, Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The deep awning roof is designed to keep the sun out during the hottest part of the day and invite the inhabitant to outside and enjoy the cool evening breeze, Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The centrally located chapel also forms the apex of the sand hill. Originally conceived as an open structure, sliding curved glass windows were later added to provide protection from dust storms, Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The roof is made from Cor-Ten steel sheets, forming an oblique cone and culminating with a skylight in the apex. The roof was fabricated off site and transported in two halves, Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Rammed earth extracted from the local clay pans, pebbles and gravel quarried from the river bed are the palette of materials that blend into the landscape. The pavilion at the top is the multi-functional hub, meeting room and chapel., Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The oval chapel overlooks a family cemetery and ghost and river gums that line the riverbank in the background., Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The residences are stepped to maintain a level of privacy on each covered veranda. There are contiguous but are not internally linked. The rear walls of the residences are buried under the sand dune., Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The awning roof is a Cor-Ten steel cyclonic shade frame, mirrored by a concrete slab on (the) ground. The concrete slab contains gravel and aggregates from the local river, which lend a reddish colour to its polished surface., Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The deep awning roof is designed to keep the sun out during the hottest part of the day and invite the inhabitant to outside and enjoy the cool evening breeze, Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The northern end of the rammed earth wall tapers down to where an older building is used as a communal meeting and sitting area. A pergola constructed of old drilling pipes provides a chequerboard of dappled light., Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Internally, one finds a comfortable environment, cooled by the rammed earth walls and the metre deep sand hill. The interior design by Sarah Foletta is a restrained, natural and robust selection of materials and furniture., Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Below the chapel lies a hundred year old cemetery, enclosed by a simple fence to keep the local fauna out., Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The centrally located chapel also forms the apex of the sand hill. Originally conceived as an open structure, sliding curved glass windows were later added to provide protection from dust storms., Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Gold annodised aluminium sheets line the ceiling of the ‘chapel’, cyclonic rated, curved sliding windows can close the pavilion to protect its interior from dust storms, Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
A glass covered oculus, oriented east and inspired by the Pantheon of Rome, maintains a celestial connection, Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
The roof is made from Cor-Ten steel sheets, forming an oblique cone and culminating with a skylight in the apex. The roof was fabricated off site and transported in two halves, Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Edward Birch
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Image Courtesy © Luigi Rosselli Architects
Related Tags: Australia
Category: Residential
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