Developing a community led solution to the wicked remote housing challenge
Developing a community led solution to the wicked remote housing challenge
Serena Morton Napanangka, Nina Frank, and Norman Frank Jupurrurla, discussing site planning at “The Block” in Tennant Creek. Photo by Andrew Quilty.
Serena Morton Napanangka, Nina Frank, and Norman Frank Jupurrurla, discussing site planning at “The Block” in Tennant Creek. Photo by Andrew Quilty.
Approach
The current model for remote housing development does not appropriately engage the tenant (community) in the design phase of the construction lifecycle. Houses designed without consultation are not fit for purpose and are negatively received by community. Current design objectives are principally to reduce ongoing maintenance costs through use of very sturdy and robust materials. Thermal performance is a low priority with the NT Government having the lowest thermal efficiency standards in Australia. The remote building industry in the NT is not competitive and fails to incorporate best practice construction methodologies or innovation.
For the Wilya Janta pilot to provide a suitable scalable alternative to the existing remote housing model, it must prove that it is feasible to invest in appropriate community consultation at the design phase of the construction lifecycle whilst meeting a price competitive overall construction budget that is comparable to the current remote housing model. By operating in an unconstrained national design and construction industry space, Wilya Janta can embrace best practice and innovative, scalable construction methodologies that can demonstrate better industry paradigms, better value for money, and most importantly better houses that are responsive to culture and environment and resilient to increasing environmental heat.
The Wilya Janta business model follows a lean startup methodology. It favours experimentation and innovation over established guidelines, community and industry engagement and feedback over presumption, and iterative design over traditional ‘design up front’ development. The key difference to our approach is that we put community at the centre of the lean startup process loop. We seek to build, measure and learn with community at the centre of all that we do.
The Wilya Janta team notes that the new model’s viability relies on being price competitive with the current model. There seems little point in creating a new housing model that is loved by community however not sustainable under the current government funding model. When comparing the prices of the two models, Wilya Janta is confident it can build better community directed housing that is price competitive to the current model. This will be achieved by offsetting the direct costs of community consultation (labour) and improved building performance with direct cost savings in the construction of the building.
Wilya Janta’s core principles operationally address the problems and challenges of remote housing at every stage.
Norman Frank Jupurrurla marking up concept design plans for the Wilya Janta housing pilot
Norman Frank Jupurrurla marking up concept design plans for the Wilya Janta housing pilot
Timeline
Using a three stage timeline Wilya Janta is working with community and industry to build homes in Tennant Creek which will act as a feasibility study for culturally and climate safe housing. Starting with two pilot "Explain Homes", demonstration and display, for both the community that has almost no lived experience of well considered design, and housing funders to prove what is possible with money being spent. With proven viability and community expansion of the iterative model in Tennant Creek, Wilya Janta will seek formal partnerships with the NT Government and Community Housing providers to assist in broad adoption of the model for delivery of community directed housing.
Tennant Creek Housing Pilot
1–2 years
Achievements
With a solid foundation of long-lasting friendships, the Wilya Janta team has been working with the community, industry, and government to achieve meaningful progress.
2006–2020
Foundations of friendship, trust and two way learning
[+]
2006–2020
Foundations of friendship, trust and two way learning
With a solid foundation of long-lasting friendships starting when Norm and Simon worked together at Urapuntja Health Service as ambulance driver and doctor, the Wilya Janta team
has grown around friendship and trust that are now the foundations of how we work in two worlds.
With a solid foundation of long-lasting friendships starting when Norm and Simon worked together at Urapuntja Health Service as ambulance driver and doctor, the Wilya Janta team has grown around friendship and trust that are now the foundations of how we work in two worlds.
2020–2022
Groundwork
[+]
2020–2022
Groundwork
Norm has been shaking the bush for his community for more than three decades, and is behind many grass-roots efforts to overcome challenges faced by Wumpurrarni people in the Barkly. He’s taught Simon a thing or two about bush-shaking, and Simon has reciprocated his understanding of using academic research to highlight not only problems but tangible solutions.
Norm was sick of running out of power all the time, so they published a piece in Nature that is now a seminal piece of work allowing international advocacy for a just energy transition to renewable energy for low income and Indigenous people. It wasn’t enough to publish out to the broader world about the truth of energy poverty in remote Australia, so with thanks to the amazing work of Original Power Norm pioneered rooftop solar, busting through all the barriers that government institutions placed in the way to become the first Indigenous public housing dwelling in the NT to benefit from rooftop solar.
It was really important to explain to Central Australian communities about this injustice that people had come to accept as being just the way things were, so they commissioned a video to explain the findings of their research. They then proved that solar completely resolved Norm’s worries about his power turning off, and met the architects at OFFICE who read about their work.
Simon and Norm published more research recognising the resilience that Aboriginal people have to hot weather, and their ability to thrive in environments that non-Indigenous people often consider hostile provides an opportunity for us all to learn how to prepare for hotter climates. They continued using research to advocate for solutions to the housing crisis.
Norm has been shaking the bush for his community for more than three decades, and is behind many grass-roots efforts to overcome challenges faced by Wumpurrarni people in the Barkly. He’s taught Simon a thing or two about bush-shaking, and Simon has reciprocated his understanding of using academic research to highlight not only problems but tangible solutions.
Norm was sick of running out of power all the time, so they published a piece in Nature that is now a seminal piece of work allowing international advocacy for a just energy transition to renewable energy for low income and Indigenous people. It wasn’t enough to publish out to the broader world about the truth of energy poverty in remote Australia, so with thanks to the amazing work of Original Power Norm pioneered rooftop solar, busting through all the barriers that government institutions placed in the way to become the first Indigenous public housing dwelling in the NT to benefit from rooftop solar.
It was really important to explain to Central Australian communities about this injustice that people had come to accept as being just the way things were, so they commissioned a video to explain the findings of their research. They then proved that solar completely resolved Norm’s worries about his power turning off, and met the architects at OFFICE who read about their work.
Simon and Norm published more research recognising the resilience that Aboriginal people have to hot weather, and their ability to thrive in environments that non-Indigenous people often consider hostile provides an opportunity for us all to learn how to prepare for hotter climates. They continued using research to advocate for solutions to the housing crisis.
November 2022
Warlinginchi Apa Forum
[+]
November 2022
Warlinginchi Apa Forum
Warlinginchi Apa Forum (slowly and with determination, one step at a time), Tennant Creek. Warumungu Elders hosted 15 architects, engineers, developers, builders and construction industry partners to Tennant Creek to see the truth of the shocking state of housing and to begin conversations about how to see a better future.
Warlinginchi Apa Forum (slowly and with determination, one step at a time), Tennant Creek. Warumungu Elders hosted 15 architects, engineers, developers, builders and construction industry partners to Tennant Creek to see the truth of the shocking state of housing and to begin conversations about how to see a better future.
June 2023
Papulu-ku Nyinjjiki Traveling Forum
[+]
June 2023
Papulu-ku Nyinjjiki Traveling Forum
In the 1980s, Rembrranga people in Central Arnhem Land were given agency to design and build their own homes. Stories of how beautiful these homes were had made their way to Tennant Creek, and thanks to the generous support of AHNT, 25 Warumungu people, architects, engineers and academics travelled to Barapunta to see these houses first hand and to talk with the old people that built them.
In the 1980s, Rembrranga people in Central Arnhem Land were given agency to design and build their own homes. Stories of how beautiful these homes were had made their way to Tennant Creek, and thanks to the generous support of AHNT, 25 Warumungu people, architects, engineers and academics travelled to Barapunta to see these houses first hand and to talk with the old people that built them.
August 2023
Tennant Creek Brick Making Machine Funding
[+]
August 2023
Tennant Creek Brick Making Machine Funding
Inspired by the rammed earth walls that the houses in Barapunta were made from, our founders suggested we consider the beautiful mud brick walls of the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art Centre in Tennant Creek. These mud bricks, made by Warumungu men in the 90s from termite mounds and spinifex, are not only beautiful but very hardy and have excellent thermal mass properties, ideal for construction in hot climates. The old machine had been sitting idle after an all-too-familiar evaluation report documented unwanted government intervention causing failure of the enterprise. With thanks to a generous grant from FRRR, work began on bringing the machine back to life so that mud bricks could be incorporated into the pilot houses, made by community for community. The brick machine project will be completed in April 2024 and preparations for commissioning to begin employing local Wumpurrarni people to manufacture bricks for the pilot.
Inspired by the rammed earth walls that the houses in Barapunta were made from, our founders suggested we consider the beautiful mud brick walls of the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art Centre in Tennant Creek. These mud bricks, made by Warumungu men in the 90s from termite mounds and spinifex, are not only beautiful but very hardy and have excellent thermal mass properties, ideal for construction in hot climates. The old machine had been sitting idle after an all-too-familiar evaluation report documented unwanted government intervention causing failure of the enterprise. With thanks to a generous grant from FRRR, work began on bringing the machine back to life so that mud bricks could be incorporated into the pilot houses, made by community for community. The brick machine project will be completed in April 2024 and preparations for commissioning to begin employing local Wumpurrarni people to manufacture bricks for the pilot.
October 2023
Papulu-ku Nyinjjiki Exhibition (Melbourne)
[+]
October 2023
Papulu-ku Nyinjjiki Exhibition (Melbourne)
Wilya Janta became incorporated under ORIC and to celebrate, a launch and exhibition was held in Melbourne. The Tennant Creek Brio, an exciting grass-roots art movement from Tennant, was very supportive of Wilya Janta (after all, these artists live in tin sheds), and donated substantial artworks to raise funds for Wilya Janta to keep pushing. Lots of people were listening.
Wilya Janta became incorporated under ORIC and to celebrate, a launch and exhibition was held in Melbourne. The Tennant Creek Brio, an exciting grass-roots art movement from Tennant, was very supportive of Wilya Janta (after all, these artists live in tin sheds), and donated substantial artworks to raise funds for Wilya Janta to keep pushing. Lots of people were listening.
January 2024
Papulu-ku Nyinjjiki Exhibition (Junkurrakur / Tennant Creek)
[+]
January 2024
Papulu-ku Nyinjjiki Exhibition (Junkurrakur / Tennant Creek)
The most important thing for Wilya Janta is to be community-facing. The launch was held in Melbourne to garner philanthropic support but our founders really wanted an event in Tennant. January 26th was chosen as a symbolic day after the disappointments of the previous years’ referendum to reclaim the day - now termed “Just Another Day” in recognition that there is a lot of work to be done for justice to be served in Tennant Creek and across Australia. Learn More.
The most important thing for Wilya Janta is to be community-facing. The launch was held in Melbourne to garner philanthropic support but our founders really wanted an event in Tennant. January 26th was chosen as a symbolic day after the disappointments of the previous years’ referendum to reclaim the day - now termed “Just Another Day” in recognition that there is a lot of work to be done for justice to be served in Tennant Creek and across Australia. Learn More.
February 2024
Wilya Janta Registered as a Charity
[+]
February 2024
Wilya Janta Registered as a Charity
Wilya Janta registered under ACNC as a charity, Deductible Tax Recipient status granted
Wilya Janta registered under ACNC as a charity, Deductible Tax Recipient status granted
Understanding the Remote Housing Challenge
Understanding the Remote Housing Challenge
Diane Stokes Nampin outside the donga where she lives with her family on the edge of Tennant Creek. Diane has no mains power or running water.
Diane Stokes Nampin outside the donga where she lives with her family on the edge of Tennant Creek. Diane has no mains power or running water.
Remote living conditions
Remote Northern Territory communities often face specific hardships in comparison to the average Australian. These difficulties contribute to larger issues, including social and economic inequality, that continue to negatively impact these communities.
Papulinyi Story
The word for “whitefella” in Warumungu is Papulinyi, the ontology from the early days of colonisation. Traditionally, Warumungu would construct temporary dome-like shelters called Papulu for cold wet weather, but for most of the year such structures were unnecessary. In contrast, whitefellas have deep heritage of living in houses year-round. Warumungu referred to this whitefella way as Papulu Nyinyta – people who sit in houses. Warumungu did not sit in houses, they prefer to live with the land.
“Papulinyi, they lived in them little white tents all the time, never leave. Papulu mean house. Wengi mean from. People from a house, that’s what my old people called them.” Norman Frank Jupurrurla.
The distinct contrast between Indigenous and non-Indigenous culture has proven difficult for housing developers (governments) to negotiate. [1] Over the past 100 years, government policies have shifted through phases of assimilation, integration and reconciliation. Remote housing is still being built with ineffective consultation to the people who will live in them, no acknowledgment of the historic forces that displaced people from ancestral lands and resulted in impoverished fringe dwelling Town Camps, and minimal recognition of cultural or environmental design considerations that would enable houses to become homes and allow families to thrive. This key oversight, coupled with inadequate government investment in Indigenous housing over the last 30 to 40 years is a fundamental driver of the broad range of poor outcomes for remote Indigenous Australians
For Mr. Jupurrurla (Norm), founder of Wilya Janta, living in a house that reflects both culture and connection to environment has never been experienced. In fact, most Aboriginal people in remote Australia have never even walked through such a house. Norm was 44 years of age when he first moved into a whitefella house, an old and poorly designed and constructed town camp dwelling on the edge of Tennant Creek. This house did not have reliable power, was thermally inefficient and did not provide connection to the local environment.
The lived experience is of public housing stock that is aging and dilapidated, often without insulation and of very poor thermal performance. Even for newly constructed houses, the current Territory guidelines focus on durability to reduce maintenance costs and pay less attention to thermal performance, comfort and liveability for families to feel safe and connected to their environment and community.
Current remote housing design models do not adequately consider core cultural differences in the way Indigenous and non-Indigenous people live in houses. There is limited consideration of cultural practices or the way in which Indigenous families live with the land and with each other. Instead, contemporary remote housing guidelines are shaped around a classic western-centric three-bedroom layout suitable for a small nuclear family. Despite considerable funding in Aboriginal housing and real and concerted government efforts to find better solutions, there are limited examples of community agency in housing design. The current design cycle does not provide homes that allow people to thrive.
Wilya Janta recognises that designing Indigenous homes is vastly different to designing houses for non-Indigenous Australians and requires a unique skillset and process to ensure that it is done appropriately. To negate this challenge, the proposed Wilya Janta model employs Indigenous Housing Consultants (local experts) who will gain experience and skills through designing their own houses as part of the Tennant Creek Housing Pilot. Working together with Wilya Janta Design Specialists (technical experts), the cross-cultural design team is well equipped to assist community (the tenant) to engage in a meaningful design process. Wilya Janta demonstrates that a better way of engaging community in the design and construction of their housing is not only possible, but also price competitive, more sustainable and conducive to the development of Aboriginal agency.