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Water Tank Art Puts an Indigenous Stamp on Albany’s New Bunnings Site
A new local landmark and tourist attraction, reminiscent of the popular ‘silo art movement’, has been installed at Albany’s new Bunnings site at Chester Pass Mall.
Commissioned by developer M/Group, the 64-panel Indigenous artwork covering two massive water tanks is inspired by the region’s diverse sea life and its deep connection to the original owners of the land.
The works were created by five traditional local Indigenous artists, Lyn Knapp, Michael Cummings, Tameka Cummings, Kathleen Toomath and Margaret Miller.
Commissioning artwork agent and Wardandi Bibbulmun Elder, Dale Tilbrook, said she started with a concept, but the piece took on a life of its own.
“Our original concept for the installation was for it to resemble a book of stamps, so that each section would be placed between the structure’s rivets. I did a lot of research on the wealth of sea life in the local waters, and when the artists took inspiration from this, the piece materialised into something quite extraordinary,” she said.
“This has been an important project for this group of Aboriginal artists at a time when the steady flow of interstate and international tourisms has been absent from the local galleries. Each artist shared in the commission and have now left their stamp on what will soon become a high traffic area of Albany.”
The public artwork commission represents the value of 1% of the entire development and held a mandate to reflect or enhance the local cultural identity.
Co-ordinated by Minang Elder, Vernice Gillies, and printed by Indigenous owned and operated print company, Sista Girl, the artwork compilation incorporates sea animals from humpback whales to tiny blue ringed octopus and seahorses, displayed on vinyl panels sized between 2200 x 1100mm.
M/Group Managing Director, Mr Lloyd Clark, said the Indigenous artwork does not only pay homage to Albany’s extraordinary natural asset, it also stands as a tribute to the significant contribution that Indigenous communities have had in the development of the new Bunnings property.
“The new Bunnings is the first of its kind to be constructed by Indigenous building services company, Marawar, and supported, where possible, by a fully owned and operated Indigenous supply chain. It is part of M/Group’s commitment to the Reconciliation Action Plan to support Indigenous programs and initiatives,” he said.
“The Bunnings development has allowed us to create a platform for Aboriginal people demonstrate their sheer capacity in delivering outstanding work.
“The new artwork installation will serve as an enduring reminder of their involvement and a visual backdrop to those visiting the new Bunnings building.”
Accompanying the work will be a commemorative plaque:
The oceans surrounding Albany hold myriad treasures. A selection of these wondrous sea creatures has been painted by five Minang artists. Their work has been transformed into the pictures on the water tanks.
Bunnings Regional Operations Manager Hayley Coulson said she was excited to have the artwork ready for the new store’s opening.
“We’re really proud to have such incredible artwork from the local Minang artists as part of the new Bunnings Warehouse in Albany,” she said.
“The new store is on track to open by the end of 2020 and we can’t wait to welcome customers through the doors.”
Three Awards in Three Years for M/Construction
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M Group
Three Awards in Three Years for M/Construction
As the dust settles on this year’s coveted Master Builders Western Australia Excellence in Construction Awards, M/Construction is making more room on the shelf for its third victory in the same amount of years.
This year, our dynamic building company took home the award for ‘Best Multi-Unit Development between $5-10m’ for its work on the sophisticated and understated M/28 by Match in South Fremantle.
Designed by David Barr from David Barr Architects alongside Cameron Chisholm Nicol Architects and developed by Match, this latest award puts a spotlight on the attention to detail that M/Construction is increasingly being recognised for.
It also provides even greater assurance for those seeking to engage M/Construction in private building contracts, or those looking to buy an associated Match apartment ‘off-the-plan’.
Lloyd Clark, Managing Director of parent company M/Group, has reflected on the significance of a third win in three years, particularly in light of the highly competitive construction environment.
“To receive the assurance of a high-quality builder is arguably the most important factor when making building decisions or buying an ‘off-the-plan’ apartment,” he said.
“M/Construction has consistently delivered not just high-quality work, but a standard of construction that has attracted the attention and kudos of the industry at large.
“This latest award is a testament to the unique systems and processes the company has in place. We are extremely proud of M/Construction’s ongoing achievements and what it means for its internal and external clients.”
Director of M/Construction, Michael Read, is thrilled by the acknowledgement and recognition from industry peers.
“Being able to repeatedly impress the judges over consecutive years says that the result is not by chance,” Michael said.
“We have an incredible team behind each project, backed by processes that ensure that nothing is overlooked.
“We truly believe we have introduced a new standard of building methodology to the landscape, and it is so great to be recognised for it.
In 2019, M/Construction won the Best Multi-Unit Development between $10-20m for Form by Match, Port Coogee and in 2018, the company took home the award for Best Multi-Unit Development between $10-20m for M/24 by Match, Leederville.
M/Construction is currently working on the construction of M/27 by Match in Parry Street, Fremantle and is available for discussions regarding independent opportunities.
Developers Building on History
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M Group
Developers Building on History
There was a period in Perth where development and redevelopment were so fast paced that many valuable heritage properties were left so decrepit that they would ultimately be sanctioned for demolition.
Developers were hesitant to touch historic fabric due to the risks and unforeseen costs compared to the low cost, high profit ‘cookie-cutter’ buildings that were materialising across the City.
Match was born in the thick of this era. We were young and passionate about saving Perth streetscapes from bland, investor-driven apartment buildings. We wanted to build a legacy of design-centric projects that would bring interest and diversity to the landscape.
Adopting heritage rejuvenations into our portfolio was a natural fit and relatively easy to acquire based on the lack of industry interest.
Match became a trailblazer for heritage renewal projects in Perth and our work in this area today extends to property designs that pay homage to the site’s former use or the significance of the location, such as M/24 by Match in Leederville, Metropolitan in Mount Lawley, Sublime in North Fremantle and Johnson & James in Guildford.
A brief overview of Match’s heritage projects:
HOME
Corner of Milligan & Murray Streets, PerthHOME still stands as one of Perth’s most impressive heritage renewals and a turning point that triggered many more heritage restoration projects throughout WA.
The 1927 warehouse building was introduced by the tobacco giant, W.D. & H.O. Wills and originally designed by local architects Oldham, Boas & Ednie-Brown; a firm reputed for over specifying to achieve design quality. It was constructed with reinforced concrete behind a beautiful facade, it is an excellent example of ‘Interwar Chicago-esque’ architecture featuring decorative mushroom columns unique to the era.
Match transformed this landmark site into 30 warehouse apartments, 37 adjoining terrace apartments and boutique commercial space, retaining some 95% of original heritage fabric, including a unique structural system that introduced the first mushroom headed slab on large diameter concrete columns constructed in Perth.
THE CLOCKTOWER
919 Beaufort Street, InglewoodThe Clocktower was originally built in 1936 in an architectural style known as ‘Inter-War Art Deco’. It was later used as the Civic Theatre Restaurant before being left largely unoccupied for many years.
The highly sensitive heritage rejuvenation project effectively transformed a local landmark into a boutique complex incorporating 28 apartments and four retail shops.
Specialist work was also required to locate a clock expert with the correct credentials to resurrect the signature clock, which was restarted in February 2008
MAYMONT
Corner of Whatley Crescent and Eighth Avenue, MaylandsMaymont represents a major milestone for Maylands on a site that had been left decrepit for some time. The vision was to create a heart for the area and drive the inner-city culture to the area’s main strip, with architecture reminiscent of its hey-day in the 1920s. While much of the building’s structure could not be preserved due to many years of neglect, Match restored the heritage façades and introduced 42 apartments and 16 commercial spaces. The restoration program would be the start of the beautification process for Maylands, creating what is a today a hub of cafes, restaurants and bars.
HEIRLOOM
36 Queen Victoria Street, FremantleUnquestionably one of Perth’s most significant heritage renewal projects in modern times, Heirloom is the award-winning heritage restoration of Fremantle’s iconic old Dalgety Woolstores, which sat largely unused for some 20 years.
The prominent structure located on Fremantle Harbour created a high-profile gateway to the City along Queen Victoria Street. It holds an important place in the City’s history and is most famous for its saw-tooth roof, classic red brickwork and 100-year old Jarrah beams.
The $130 million redevelopment leveraged the existing structure to create 183 spacious one and two-bedroom warehouse apartments, retaining over 85% of the original heritage fabric.
What were the key factors that drew you to these properties?
As a boutique apartment developer, Match works on the premise that the long-term investment value of a property is determined by its uniqueness and limited supply.
The simple fact is that you cannot manufacture heritage fabric and people will pay a premium for being able to acquire something distinctive and irreplaceable.
Location is, of course, always a factor, and when combined with a depth of character and history, we strongly believe these projects are worth the investment.
There was some time that developers wouldn’t go near heritage buildings because of all of the conditions surrounding it – what changed and did this influence your appetite for heritage?
In a development era that could be easily defined by its lack of sensitivity to good design and the legacy this would have on Perth’s streetscapes, there was certainly a case for ‘testing the water’.
It was new territory for most developers and, as a young company on a mission to disrupt the status quo, we took on highly ambitious heritage projects and were able to demonstrate both demand and return on investment.
Our success was supported by global shifts towards apartment living and a number of high-profile warehouse renewals around the world. Buyers were starting to view apartments as a lifestyle choice and developers needed to meet this market with unique and appealing propositions.
As a developer, what are the benefits and what are the challenges of developing heritage properties?
It is truly humbling and often breathtaking to see heritage fabric restored and repurposed for 21st century use.
The architectural values and depth of character inherent in these properties are timeless and, quite frankly, magnificent. Many discoveries can be made throughout the construction process that can add to the building’s story, such as an original wool-bale hoist and a railway track uncovered in the basement of Heirloom.
However, any adaptation of a retained building needs to satisfy current codes, modern facilities and environmental standards. This sometimes presents challenges for our architects to accommodate such requirements without compromising the usability, functionality, originality or attractiveness of the property.
At the Home building, our architects needed to work around enormous mushroom headed columns, and Heirloom, where services were ultimately hidden in a false flooring structure so that the Jarrah roofing and original beams could be exposed.
Are heritage projects more attractive for buyers?
Our experience is that the market is attracted to high quality, unique and boutique product which is much more enduring than that of high density, standardised developments.
Well executed heritage renewals elicit an emotional response and sense of connection that is so important in property sales. We find that people are really excited about owning an apartment that has heritage features that cannot be duplicated.
This was evidenced in the early release of Heirloom ‘off-the-plan’ apartments, which exceeded rigorous sales targets with over 70% of apartments selling prior to the commencement of construction.
There will always be a market that values heritage product over anything else.