Project Mooro—a name gifted by Whadjuk Noongar Elders—is a development in Cottesloe, Western Australia. Conceived as a living laboratory, the project uses the act of building to explore place-led design responses.
The building, its community and surrounding environment are understood as a connected system. Design decisions respond to local climate and ecology and are informed by Whadjuk Noongar Traditional Owner knowledge, supporting a regenerative approach shaped by local conditions.
The building’s systems are designed in response to the Western Australian coastal climate, drawing on natural processes and cycles to guide performance. On-site renewable energy generation with vanadium battery storage, alongside rainwater harvesting and integrated water treatment, mimic closed‑loop systems that support long‑term resilience.
Biophilic principles are intended to strengthen everyday connections between people, nature and place. Circular material strategies, including a mass timber structural system and rammed earth walls formed from site-sourced limestone, support material efficiency and embed the site’s geology within the building. Recycled brick and low‑carbon concrete further contribute to a reduced-impact material palette over the building’s life cycle.
