The Great Wall of WA by Luigi Rosselli Architects

Representing aussie architecture this year in the Archdaily building of the year competition was Luigi Rosselli Architect’s Great Wall of WA project, and strewth didn’t it do us proud! Winning an award for best housing project, The Great Wall of WA’s beautiful consideration of context, delicate expression of environmental condition and its conscientious use of materials ultimately pushed it over the line. Serving it up some mighty fine acknowledgement for its success.

Located up in the Pilbara, Northern WA, Luigi Rosselli Architect’s was asked to create a series of 14 separate residences for a 100+ year-old family cattle station. Although it’s primarily used for business guests I’d also hope they’d put up the station-manager and their entourage of jackaroos and jillaroos in the series of little havens. Tunneling into the sand dune, each residence is boarded by Australia’s longest, continuous rammed earth wall and is designed according to thermal mass principles. Keeping each space’s temperature constant, the wall also staggers throughout, offsetting each abode and providing a sense of privacy and solitude for the residents within. Peppered by minimalist entrances, signified by a series of handsome Cor-Ten awning features, the 230 meter Australian record breaker is cast as an amalgamation of clay, pebbles and gravel sourced from a nearby riverbed. Sitting atop the dune that protects the residences, and over-looking the family graveyard, a small oval chapel acts as a communal node. Using a similar material palette the chapel is noticeably more open, incorporating curved-glass surrounds (closable during dust storms), a gold anodized ceiling and an unusual glass oculus that cleverly turns your attention skywards. How heavenly.

Getting back to this epic wall though! Echoing its immediate landscape, the wall’s raw nature is translated inwards, expressing the dessert landscape and complimenting a series of restrained yet reflective interior strategies. The polished concrete slab was cast using aggregates from the same riverbed, and the internal fixtures and fittings were kept as minimalist features, emphasizing the space’s earthy atmosphere.

Shedding new light on the myriad of architectural potential that lies within rural aussie architecture, The Great Wall of WA has undoubtedly set the bar high for future rural projects of this kind. Also winning notoriety being selected for UNESCO’s Global Terra Award, this project is shimmering some pretty mean credentials. Seriously, what a beauty!

Related Post: Luigi Rosselli Sketching On Yellowtrace.