Larrakeyah Kapyong Refurbishment

Client: Department of Defence
Location: Northern Territory
Project: Larrakeyah Kapyong Refurbishment
Completion Date: September 2021
Completion Time: 19 Months
Value: $7.8M

The project consisted of the refurbishment of an existing recruit level accommodation building on at Larrakeyah Barracks. The Kapyong building was originally constructed in 1939 and had seen two major refurbishments in the 1970s and 1990s prior to Barpa mobilising on site. The building is regarded as having an exceptional level of heritage significance and a low tolerance to change. The World War Two buildings and planned arrangement of the Larrakeyah Precinct are important to the Defence estate.

Construction consisted of the demolition of all façade elements and internal finishes. The building was stripped back to its structural steel portal frame, which was erected in 1939. The existing portal frame was remediated and bought back its original glory before the external façade and internal finishes works could take place.

The design by Hames Sharley captured the art deco style of the original 1930s building while also improving the sustainability of the building through natural ventilation and cooling.