Moondani Aboriginal Cultural Centre – Thornbury, Melbourne

Design Philosophy

Strengthening community through social sustainability

The Moondani Aboriginal Family Centre is an initiative of The Victorian Aboriginal Childcare Agency to provide a culturally secure and inviting place that will strengthen, nurture and celebrate traditional Aboriginal family life and culture. Moondani is the local Woiworung word for ‘embrace’ and the proposed building embraces both the community and the landscape.

Conceived as a large extended family home, the centre aims to assist in building strong family ties which strengthen the community. The sense of community and landscape unity is reflected in the building form that is shaped around existing landscape features. It embraces a central landscaped courtyard that increases local ecology and reminds people of their connection to the land.

Sustainable Design Elements

• Zero net carbon emissions
• 6 Star energy rating or equivalent for office areas
• Passive heating and cooling
• Sustainable energy sources allow autonomous energy production including: photo-voltaics, solar hot water, wind turbine, geothermal heating and cooling
• Capture methane from tip to generate steam for heating and fireplace fuel
• Use recycled and environmentally responsible materials in construction
• Utilise simple building systems to allow community to build and maintain centre
• Water autonomy through rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling
• Sewage treatment on site using worm farm system or similar
• Sustainable harvesting of local foods
• Expansion of remnant endemic landscapes through revegetation
• Increase bio-diversity and provide habitats for native species