Winnunga Nimmityjah Residential Rehabilitation Facility
CLIENT
Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services
DELIVERY
Construct Only
SUPERINTENDENT
SAFM
ARCHITECT
Judd Studio
The Winnunga Nimmityjah Residential Rehabilitation Facility is a purpose-built centre in Canberra, providing culturally safe and inclusive recovery programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The two-storey, 24-bedroom facility was carefully designed to support healing, connection, and recovery. Therapeutic treatment spaces, resident amenities, communal recreation areas, administration offices, and staff facilities are complemented by extensive landscaped outdoor areas, creating opportunities for reflection, recreation, and connection to Country in a welcoming residential setting.
Throughout the facility, culturally inspired graphics and wayfinding elements draw on the Corroboree Frog featured on the Winnunga flag, while the residential wings incorporate distinctive Bogong Moth patterns and colour palettes that assist with navigation and create a strong sense of place and identity.
The architectural character of the development is defined by the use of profiled metal cladding in a ‘Weathered Iron’ finish, which wraps both the external walls and roof forms to create a cohesive and durable built outcome. The material palette was carefully selected to complement the surrounding bush setting, allowing the facility to integrate sensitively with the landscape while maintaining a distinctive identity. Extensive glazing strengthens the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, while integrated solar panels contribute to the facility's long-term sustainability performance.
Designed to meet BAL-42 bushfire requirements and incorporating anti-ligature fittings within resident bedrooms, the facility prioritises safety, resilience and occupant wellbeing. Completed to a high standard of finish, the Residential Rehabilitation Facility forms part of the broader Watson Health Precinct, where Monarch also delivered facilities for Marymead CatholicCare and the Ted Noffs Foundation, creating an integrated hub of support services for the Canberra community.
