Cultural connection in the heart of the city: the Desert Hub opens in Perth
The Desert Hub in Perth, Western Australia is a vibrant new headquarters for desert rangers to connect, share knowledge and strengthen the world’s largest Indigenous-led conservation network.
Just over a year ago, Hassell embarked on a journey with the Indigenous Desert Alliance and Gordon Bateup from Bateup Consulting to bring a piece of the desert into the city of Perth for desert rangers to connect and share their knowledge.
The Desert Hub, now the Indigenous Desert Alliance headquarters situated on Whadjuk Country, serves as a primary gathering point for desert rangers visiting Boorloo (Perth) to connect and share their knowledge.
Australia’s desert regions, spanning one-third of the continent, encompass 25 protected areas home to over 60 Indigenous ranger teams. These teams are culturally and environmentally committed to looking after their homelands for the benefit of future generations. The Indigenous Desert Alliance (IDA) is a First Nations-led, member-based organisation that is vital in strengthening desert ranger programs and keeping people throughout the Australian desert connected. The Desert Hub will strengthen the IDA’s facilitation of the network of rangers, considered the largest Indigenous-led and culturally connected conservation network on earth.
The IDA’s commitment and passion for fostering understanding and collaboration have created a beautiful and culturally safe place that the desert rangers deeply embrace.
As part of the design vision, the Desert Hub needed to reflect the desert people and their place on Country. During a series of yarning sessions, five different groups from the desert, aged from 20 to 70 years, contributed to the design process.
“The Desert Hub is a place in the city for Indigenous land management organisations and their ranger teams to feel at home. It’s a place where we can feel comfortable, be ourselves, connect up, collaborate, host events and run training.”
— Samantha Murray, IDA, Deputy CEO.
Warm desert colours greet rangers and visitors upon arrival, recreating familiar landscapes. A pathway through the building leads to a yarning area designed to make visitors feel at ease, connect and share ideas in a safe space.
Following the vision of the groups involved in the design process, 100 per cent of the furniture inside the building is reused or repurposed.
“Through the GreenChairTM initiative, this project shows the quality of final furniture products that can be delivered through repurposing. This is circular economy at its best.”
— Gordon Bateup, Bateup Consulting, Director.
This project has been particularly significant for many of us at Hassell, as it was heavily influenced by our dear colleague and friend, the late Adam Paikos-Coe. Adam’s unwavering dedication ensured the Desert Hub became a true reflection of the desert and a culturally safe space for rangers to continue their vital work. His passion for collaboration and understanding the team’s needs is evident in every aspect of this project. As Robina Crook, who worked closely with Adam, said, “It’s bittersweet that he cannot see the completed project but there is beauty in knowing his vision has come to fruition and that life will come from this space and energy.”
Learn more about the project by watching the video below, produced by the Indigenous Desert Alliance.