{tag:studenci}, an architecture graduate of the Wroclaw University of Technology, has designed a rehabilitation center for Australian koalas in Queensland. Tjukula Jukurrpa - the ring-shaped structure is a veterinary clinic and temporary habitat located on the Tamborine plateau.
Klaudia Trębska' s project is a master's thesis entitled Tjukula Jukurrpa. A rehabilitation center for Australian koalas on Mount Tamborine, Queensland, done under the supervision of Dr. Mark Lamber at the Faculty of Architecture, Pwr. The concept won the department's 2021 thesis competition.
A view of the eucalyptus grove from Tjukula Jukurrpa
© Klaudia Trębska
protecting natural habitats
Over the years, industrial development and human territorial expansion in Australia have contributed to the loss of natural habitats. Intense deforestation has deprived animals of homes and shelter. In addition, areas of the eastern part of the continent are affected by massive bushfires every year. It is therefore inevitable to protect species at risk of extinction, such as koalas, for example. My project involves the establishment of a veterinary clinic and a temporary habitat for the affected animals, so that after a period of rehabilitation they can return healthy to the wild. The study area is located on the Tamborine Mountain plateau, inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples. At the time of early European settlement, the area was occupied by the Wangerriburra tribe. The etymology of the name "Tamborine" comes from an Anglicized version of the Aboriginal word jambreen, which means the trees of the wild linden tree that used to grow on these hills, explains Klaudia Trębska.
The site is located on the Tamborine plateau
© Klaudia Trębska
Tjukula Jukurrpa
The title of Klaudia's project refers to the Aboriginal belief system known as Tjukula Jukurrpa (Dreamtime), which encompasses religion, law and moral systems, and defines the relationship between people, plants, animals and physical features of the earth.
Aborigines are spiritually strongly connected to the land they inhabit. Their beliefs are passed down from generation to generation through numerous stories, known as dreamtime tales. They have a very widely developed symbolism, which used to help them survive, and now manifests itself mainly in art and culture, the author adds.
The work also draws inspiration from the commensal relationship between koalas and eucalyptus trees. The trees provide food and shelter for the animals that live and rest on them, without doing them any harm. The idea of the young architect's project is to seek the role of humans in this ecosystem.
The building in the form of a ring encloses the area intended for a temporary habitat
© Klaudia Trębska
object in the form of a ring
The author assumed the creation of an object, which by its form will enclose an area intended for a temporary habitat for koalas undergoing rehabilitation. The form of the ring surrounding the inner eucalyptus grove allows observation of the animals and at the same time provides a panoramic view of the hill. It creates a transition structure between the rehabilitation stage of the animals and their release into the wild, which is reflected in the functional purpose of the building.
ground and first floor plan
© Klaudia Trębska
The building consists of three floors raised above ground level and founded on wooden pillars, which allows rainwater to flow freely. Each floor serves a different function. On the first floor a veterinary clinic and the necessary technical rooms are placed. Injured animals are brought to the clinic by special rescue services or volunteers. If they require immediate surgery, they are transferred to the operating theater, otherwise they are placed in the intensive care room or in isolation rooms (veterinary incubators), where they are under constant supervision - they are hydrated and treated. When their condition improves, the animals are placed in height-restricted cubicles. In the next stage of rehabilitation, they are moved to an inner courtyard, where their progress in mobility is monitored, which determines whether the koalas are released into the wild.
Tjukula Jukurrpa project, elevation and cross-section
© Klaudia Trębska
The upper floor can be divided into four functional zones: office-administrative, didactic, diagnostic and koala box area. The didactic block is equipped with a seminar room, an exercise room and social areas for students. The diagnostic zone, on the other hand, houses three research laboratories: biochemistry, andrology and parasitology, along with reagent storage.
The top floor serves as a museum and is entirely open to the public. Both on this floor and the floor below is a separate area of koala boxes placed on an outdoor terrace to provide the animals with conditions close to natural.
Facade panels acquire condensed water vapor
© Klaudia Trębska
panels acquire water vapor
The architect decided to use wood for the building's construction due to the renewable nature of the raw material and its numerous advantages obtained after processing into CLT panels. A characteristic element of the building are facade panels that acquire condensed water vapor, so-called fog catchers, which allow the use of the humid air of the Australian plateau. According to the author, she modeled the panels on the "Fog Harp" project created by scientific researchers at Vriginia Tech University in Blacksburg, USA. Meanwhile, the rainwater storage well located in the inner courtyard refers to traditional methods used by Aboriginal people. The main source of electricity is photovoltaic panels located on the flat roof.
The top floor houses, among other things, a museum.
© Klaudia Trębska
The unusual shape of the building and the distinctive exterior cladding that creates the illusion of a form growing out of the ground will have a significant impact on the attractiveness of the facility among tourists visiting Mount Tamborine in large numbers, which will contribute to raising funds to help the animals, adds Klaudia Trębska.
