Dala Yooro ‘Little Gum Trees’ was envisioned as more than a building. In collaboration with GEGAC, we designed indoor and outdoor spaces for 66 children that immerse them in Gunaikurnai language, imagery, and lore.
The building’s form draws on the wing motif of Boran the Pelican, a Dreamtime creator of the Gunaikurnai people. Laminated timber posts and rafters form a series of structural frames, emulating the span of the pelican’s wing along the building’s edge.
The building’s façade features a soaring timber structure and rammed earth walls. The last thumbnail image (above) is a sketch showing how we drew on the pelican’s wing form to design the building’s timber trusses.
