The Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence is a world-leading, First Nations-led education, sporting and community gathering space in Shepparton, on Yorta Yorta Country.
The project is a result of the vision and determination by the local community and was shaped by an extensive co-design process to support and platform educational, community and cultural programs. The design team, led by ARM Architecture in collaboration with Emergent Studios, the client, stakeholders and consultant team, worked within a process of sustained co-design, involving ongoing workshops, gatherings and consultation engagement with community member groups and representatives. Engagement took place over 12 months and involved the input of over 1,000 community members.
Extensive artworks are embedded throughout the external and internal spaces, created by members of the community to reflect the shared cultural narratives of the centre, the works were developed within a series of participatory workshops led by Kaiela Arts and facilitated by Spacecraft Studio.
The landscape features local planting and materiality, nominated by local community elders within co-design workshops. Local stone reflects landmarks of significance, planting provides habitat and resources, the design is planned through co-design to support participatory workshops, ceremony and Connection to Country.
