Antarctica: Ampilatwatja Health Clinic Studio, Northern Territory

Ampilatwatja Health Clinic Studio, Northern Territory

The role of clinic design in improving health and wellbeing for Indigenous Australians

Ampilatwatja Health Clinic Studio, Northern Territory

This project asked `how can architecture in health services aid in improving the health outcomes of aboriginal communities in Australia?’ The aim of this project, from a health and wellbeing viewpoint was to address chronic health issues in this and other Australian Indigenous communities – to help to ‘close the gap’. The ‘gap’ refers to the substantial difference in life expectancy for Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

This project proceeded as a design studio for architecture students in third and fourth year, carried out at RMIT University’s school of Architecture and Design. The studio was run in conjunction with antarctica and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. It followed a broader study of design in general practice and primary care which resulted in the publication Rebirth of a Clinic.
To investigate this issue, the RACGP asked Aboriginal health services to express their interest in working on the project.

The Ampilatwatja Aboriginal Health Service offered to participate, and Brendan Jones (RMIT) and Ian Watts (RACGP) took ten students to this community of 400 people located 320 kilometers north east of Alice Springs in central Australia.
Through the studio, the RMIT/RACGP team worked to bring the needs and knowledge of the local community into a concept design for a new health centre for the town. The current building was roughly 700 square metres and one of three public buildings (along with the shop and the town offices) which are key gathering places. It had a long heritage, as the community had started their health service from a caravan, and eventually moved to the current clinic.

The studio was a form of co-design where the parties involved each brought to the table their knowledge and expertise, and the design process was used to forge an outcome which reflected the best of these perspectives.
From an architectural perspective, these questions were confronted through the design act. This involved addressing the numerous, complex contingencies of the situation. Amongst these were the practical issues of climate and place, the critical issues of cultural lore and cultural strength, the historical issues of invasion and depravation, the role of formal non-Aboriginal healthcare in an Aboriginal community, the place of the building as a gathering place, the role of architect and ‘client’.

The national newspaper, The Australian, reported on the project.