samuel rosenzweig: student of architecture
Design Construct: Fish River
Bala Bala Retrofit
In 2018, I had the opportunity to partake
in a Design + Construct elective. This elective saw a group of twenty-four
students travel to remote Northern Territory to retrofit two existing
structures known as Bala Balas for the traditional owners who are the rangers
of what is known as Fish River Station. Before the retrofit, the Bala Bala’s consisted of a steel structure with a raised
floor and a canvas tensioned canvas roof. Rangers would set up tents on raised
floor to sleep in to minimise the risk of contracting
Ross River virus.
Over the 12
days the group retrofitted; rafter
extensions, an insulated roof/ceiling, newly sealed floor, Crimsafe walls, and joinery were added. The resulting design /structure affords
the rangers a more comfortable dwelling.
I, along with a small team installed the new, sealed flooring and ceiling overcoming differences in the prefabricated materials and the existing structure. I also had the opportunity to detail the way in which the crim-safe and door flashing were to come to a junction.
I, along with a small team installed the new, sealed flooring and ceiling overcoming differences in the prefabricated materials and the existing structure. I also had the opportunity to detail the way in which the crim-safe and door flashing were to come to a junction.
Images one, two, three and five photographed by Nick Frayne