Papulu-Ku Nyinjjiki (Seeing Houses): Health and Housing in the Northern Territory
Researcher
Wilya Janta | OFFICE
Published
31 May 2024
Funding
Design Strategy Grant
This project demonstrates key issues facing the architectural community around climate-resilient remote housing in the Northern Territory and its implication on health. It advocates for responsible design, sustainable construction & the importance of appropriate cultural engagement, all of which are being discussed both nationally within government, educational institutions, amongst practitioners & the general public more broadly.
Wilya Janta worked with a team of architects from OFFICE, Troppo and with Prof. Paul Memmott, launching their organisation with an exhibition held on the 6 October 2023, to tell the story of remote housing. Wilya Janta is a Warumungu Elder driven initiative from Tennant Creek, who create remote homes that are built for climate and culture.
Papulu-ku Nyinjjiki (seeing houses) exhibition set out to document the harsh realities of remote indigenous housing in the Northern Territory. It was about telling the story of Tennant Creek through housing injustice and art—revealing these lived realities to the broader public. The exhibition was also about meaningful engagement and collaboration; celebrating the homes at Emu Springs and the establishment of Wilya Janta housing collaboration. The exhibition took place in Collingwood, Melbourne and displayed artwork by several artists from the Tennant Creek Brio artist collective as well as photographs, drawings, and architectural models.
A public forum was also held on the 7 October, 2023 at the NGV, Southbank, Victoria and invited Elders and academics working within remote housing and health to discuss the current and historical conditions as well as looking at ways forward towards a culturally appropriate alternative to housing. The forum was chaired by Paul Memmott and Dr Simon Quilty, and was an opportunity for Aboriginal Elders, health professionals and architects to share and discuss their experiences of remote housing in the Northern Territory.
Wilya Janta is an innovative Aboriginal not-for-profit cultural consultancy that promotes community agency in the design and construction of housing in Indigenous communities.
Wilya Janta (Standing Strong)
www.wilyajanta.org
@wilya_janta
OFFICE is a multidisciplinary not-for-profit design & research practice with a background in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design & planning. Dr Simon Quilty has worked as a specialist physician in remote Northern Territory (NT) for the past two decades and is currently the Medical Advisor for Purple House (Pintupi-led remote dialysis service provider). He is engaged in ongoing locally collaborative impact research that addresses deficiencies in housing and subsequent poor health outcomes. Dr Quilty is working to develop sustainable solutions for remote healthcare provision for people in the tropical North of Australia. The focus of his PhD research, through Australian National University and partnered with many organisations in remote NT, is on heat and health, and how communities can prepare for a warming climate.
