Architects: Kaunitz Yeung Architecture
Area: 970 m²
Year: 2020
Photographs: Robert Frith
Civil Engineering: Stellen Consulting
Contractors: Devlyn
Director: David Kaunitz
Designer: Marni Reti
Funding Body: Australian Department of Health
Client: Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service
Landscape Architecture: Conrad Gargett
City: Newman
Country: Australia
PAMS Healthcare Hub Newman, designed by Kaunitz Yeung Architecture, is the first primary healthcare facility in Newman, a remote town 1200 km north of Perth, serving the Martu and Nibali Aboriginal communities. The project provides culturally appropriate, community-controlled health services and houses the Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service (PAMS) head office, supporting remote communities up to 800 km away. It includes a primary health clinic, dental care, maternal health, and a four-chair hemodialysis unit, helping reduce the need for patients to travel to Perth. Built mainly from rammed earth sourced from the site, the design reduces embodied energy and fosters a connection to the land, which is significant to the Aboriginal people. The project aims to increase health engagement by creating a community-centered, culturally inclusive space that promotes wellness and reflects the values of the local population, while also addressing the area’s acute health challenges.
The PAMS Healthcare Hub Newman is the first primary healthcare facility built in Newman, a town located 1200 km north of Perth with a population of 10,000, mostly Aboriginal. As the main town in the Shire of East Pilbara, which spans an area the size of Japan and has a total population of 15,000, the facility serves the entire Shire, with a focus on the Martu and Nibali Aboriginal communities. For the first time, Aboriginal people in the area will have access to community-controlled, culturally appropriate healthcare services in Newman. The building also houses the Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service (PAMS) head office, which provides care to remote communities such as Kunawaraji, Punmu, Parnngurr, and Jigalong, up to 800 km away.
The project aimed to create a best-practice regional primary healthcare facility that embodies the client’s ethos, placing wellness at the heart of the community. It is community-focused, connected to the land, culturally inclusive, and designed to provide high-quality care. The facility includes a primary health clinic, the PAMS head office, and a four-chair hemodialysis unit. The clinic offers general practice, child and maternal health, dental services, treatment rooms, and allied health facilities for visiting clinicians from Perth. A major goal was to reduce the financial burden and mental health challenges faced by the Martu and Nibali people when they had to leave their land and families to seek treatment in Perth.
Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Services play a crucial role in tackling the significant health and social challenges disproportionately affecting Aboriginal people. These issues primarily stem from discrimination and the erosion of culture and community. The situation is often worsened by inadequate infrastructure, which fails to provide proper services, limiting both access to care and funding.
The building is primarily constructed from rammed earth, an original, abundant, and sustainable material. The earth was sourced entirely from the site, significantly reducing the embodied energy that would have been required if manufactured materials or concrete were transported from Perth, 1400 km away. Beyond its sustainability, rammed earth adds deeper value by creating a human and intuitive connection to the land. This material embodies the “country,” reflecting light and absorbing rain in a way that resonates with its natural environment. While this connection is evident to everyone, it holds particular significance for Aboriginal people.
This project is a vital part of the strategic plan to expand and strengthen PAMS, centering the community in health service delivery while offering additional clinical space to address urgent health needs. The plan emphasizes community inclusion and aims to increase presentation rates, improving preventative health outcomes. Higher presentation rates are a key success measure for the project. Expanded services and local treatment options, eliminating the need to travel to Perth, are crucial. The architectural design plays an essential role, ensuring a state-of-the-art facility that connects with people, country, and culture. It will provide high-quality care while fostering a sense of humanity and pride within the community, creating a space where wellness is placed at the heart of everyday life.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: 65 Mindarra Drive, Newman, Western Australia 6753, Australia
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
