Venue

The conference will be hosted in Murdoch University’s iconic Boola Katitjin building. Opened in 2023, this award-winning timber-and-glass venue was the Southern Hemisphere’s largest timber building at the time and is distinguished for its striking design, sustainability, and innovation. Built from mass-engineered timber sourced from sustainably managed forests, featuring natural ventilation, and achieving a 6 Star Green Star rating, Boola Katitjin exemplifies sustainable architecture seamlessly connected to its landscape.

Named by Aboriginal Whadjuk elder Dr Richard Walley OAM, Boola Katitjin—meaning “lots of learning”—stands as a powerful symbol of learning, culture and deep connection to Country. Through its inspired design, meaningful artwork and welcoming yarning circles, it celebrates the land’s long history as a place of learning and gathering spanning tens of thousands of years.

Major awards and recognitions for Boola Katitjin include (amongst others):

• Winner, Higher Education & Research Building at the World Architecture Festival (2023)
• Daryl Jackson Award for Educational Architecture – Australia (2023)
• National Award for Sustainable Architecture – Australia (2023)

Learn more about the building at https://www.murdoch.edu.au/boola-katitjin.