Mari-Mari-Ba – a sanctuary for First Nations women and children

Published: 
15 November 2024 1:29PM

The view through the centre of the Mari-Mari-Ba accommodation

Mari-Mari-Ba, meaning ‘butterfly place’ in the Yuggera language group, is a new residential complex for First Nations women and children and a place of strong cultural significance for the Yuggera and Turrbal peoples.

Built on the former Joyce Wilding Hostel site – a place of immense history and a safe haven since the 1970s – Mari-Mari-Ba brings new life to the complex while remaining a safe space for First Nations women and children.

A new offering

A re-imagined Mari-Mari-Ba opened in May 2024 after five years of co-design with community members and development. Comprising 33 studio and 1- and 2 -bedroom units, the project was designed to be fully accessible and to provide both privacy and independence for its residents.

Set in bushland around a central communal gathering area, the apartments offer a safe space and the opportunity to connect with other residents.

Artwork on the exterior by Elaine Chambers-Hegarty, featuring meeting places, the Brisbane River, medicinal plants and art as a connection to those who need healing.

Co-designed with community

To ensure the needs and voices of First Nations peoples were strongly represented, Mari-Mari-Ba was co-designed with local Elders, Joyce Wilding Hostel employees, community members, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service, Office of the Queensland Government Architect and Deicke Richards architects.

Key design features informed by the co-design process include:

  • Flexible apartment configuration with some units interconnecting to support cultural and family needs.
  • Communal gathering spaces, including a yarning circle.
  • Communal spaces merging with native landscaping, connecting residents to bushland.
  • Commercial kitchen.
  • A Bushland Hub to host larger gatherings.

One of the apartments in Mari-Mari-Ba, surrounded by natural vegetation

Well-considered design

Architect Luke Watson from Deicke Richards said the brief was about creating a community onsite, while retaining important elements of the original Joyce Wilding Hostel.

‘It’s a really important place for First Nations peoples and we tried to leverage this by reflecting the form of the original building with the butterfly roof and strong vertical elements,’ Luke said.

Through the co-design process, the team heard that when people originally came to Joyce Wilding Hostel for support, there was a family room or space where the women and children may have been taken as a quiet place when they first arrived. Due to its historical significance, this area has been retained and reimagined through the design.

‘We’ve reinterpreted the space to be a place for gathering. This is a quieter space where you can sit in the landscape and talk,’ he said.

Multi award-winning design

Mari-Mari-Ba has received numerous Australian Institute of Architecture awards including:

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