Pukatja (Ernabella) School, APY Lands, SA, 2009
In 2006-7 the SA Government through DECS & DETI initiated the school redevelopment program for the Pukatja (Ernabella) & Pipalyatjara communities in the far north west of South Australia.
The design team was greatly assisted by sound and enthusiastic leadership, and keen young staff willing to push the boundaries on indoor and outdoor leaning spaces for young children.
The designs & buildings that resulted incorporated significant community involvement in artwork, ceramics, landscaping, irrigation, tree planting, grass laying & caring for the finished product.
The structures were prefabricated in modular arrangement and transported from Alice Springs to the sites. This approach ensured a quality of product ‘manufactured’ in a controlled environment and assembled in an expedited manner once on site, controlling costs and disruption within the community.