NK MehtaGreat architecture is often linked with big cities. However, one of Australia’s most celebrated new buildings sits on the banks of the Todd River in Alice Springs. The Congress Mparntwe Health Hub is the first and only building in the Northern Territory to earn a 6-star Green Star rating. Now, the architect behind it has received the profession’s highest honour.
Susan Dugdale, founder of Susan Dugdale Architects (SDA), has been named the Australian Institute of Architects gold medal recipient for 2027. That places her alongside past winners such as Jørn Utzon, who designed the Sydney Opera House.
Who Is Susan Dugdale?
Susan Dugdale is a long-time Alice Springs local who opened her own practice in 2000. For more than two decades, she has designed buildings for some of Australia’s toughest conditions. Her projects span dry desert plains, wet tropics and places of extreme heat.
The award jury praised her careful approach to people, remote places and culture. Dugdale herself admitted she was stunned by the win. She also noted that she may be the first recipient to come from a regional area rather than a capital city. For architects working outside major centres, that detail carries real weight.
Why the Congress Mparntwe Health Hub Stands Out
Before the national honour, the health hub had already collected five wins at the Northern Territory Architecture Awards. The building also brings together Central Australian Aboriginal Congress staff who previously worked across several sites in town. As a result, the community now has one central place to access services.
The design draws on local culture as much as local climate. For example, two large First Nations artworks appear on faceted louvre screens across the front of the building. Inside and out, brick ties the spaces together. That choice is unusual for infrastructure in Alice Springs. Even so, stripes of green brick mixed with natural tones create a calm, earthy palette that suits the desert setting.
Visitors also approach through a shaded courtyard. Curved benches sit beneath tall shade structures, so the entrance feels welcoming rather than exposed.
What Makes a 6-Star Green Rating So Hard to Achieve?
A 6-star Green Star rating marks a building as a world leader in sustainability. Importantly, many projects are certified for their design alone. The Congress hub went further. It achieved certification as a completed, working building, which demands commitment from every party involved.
Dugdale has said the whole team had to work hard and stay aligned to secure that sixth star. Furthermore, NT jury member Katherine Ashe pointed to lower water use and better indoor air quality. She credited efficient mechanical systems working alongside passive thermal design.
Key sustainability features include:
- Passive design that works with the harsh local climate
- High levels of insulation to reduce heat gain
- Efficient mechanical systems for cooling and ventilation
- A 100-kilowatt solar system to cut running costs
- Electric vehicle charging on site
- Recycled demolition concrete used to support new local industry
Designed for Floods, Heat and Sacred Country
Alice Springs faces extreme weather, and the hub’s riverside location adds extra risk. Therefore, the team raised the building above the 100-year flood level. That decision proved its worth when the usually dry Todd River broke its banks earlier this year. According to SDA architect Miriam Wallace, nearby buildings flooded while the health hub stayed dry.
The site is also home to one of the region’s oldest river red gums. This tree is sacred to Arrernte men and protected by the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority. Local custodians guided the site planning to preserve it. In fact, past development and lopping had damaged the tree, but the new project has helped it regenerate.
Project Snapshot
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Building | Congress Mparntwe Health Hub |
| Location | Alice Springs, Northern Territory |
| Architect | Susan Dugdale Architects (SDA) |
| Client | Central Australian Aboriginal Congress |
| Builder | Asbuild NT |
| Sustainability rating | 6-star Green Star (first and only in the NT) |
| NT Architecture Awards | Five wins |
| Construction hours | More than 81,000 |
| Aboriginal share of builder’s direct labour | Over 30% |
| Flood protection | Raised above the 100-year flood level |
| Architect’s honour | Australian Institute of Architects gold medal (2027) |
The Social Impact Behind the Building
Dugdale has said the most satisfying part of the project goes beyond looks. Asbuild NT spent more than 81,000 hours on construction. Of the company’s direct labour, more than 30 per cent came from Aboriginal workers.
The project also sparked new local businesses. An Aboriginal-owned demolition and waste-separation contractor came to Alice Springs for the first time to work on it. Later, Congress hired the same firm for further projects. Meanwhile, the plan to recycle demolished concrete led to a new concrete-crushing business in town. Asbuild also set up an Aboriginal-run framing business.
Congress chief executive Ebony Abbott-McCormack sees these outcomes as proof of what an Aboriginal organisation can achieve by backing its own community. In her view, a remote location is no excuse for lower standards. Consequently, the hub now stands as a model for sustainable building across regional Australia.
