Kimberley District Support Facility

Gresley Abas were commissioned by the Department of Finance and Western Australia Police Force to design and deliver the first concept in a new series of Police buildings, with the first one in Broome. The District Support Facility concept will alleviate accommodation pressures in existing police stations through the relocation of non-public-facing and non-custodial business units, while also allowing capacity for surge purposes during critical operations and emergency incidents.

Sited within a residential context, in the township of Broome, this project seeks to further strengthen the relationship between WA Police Force and the Kimberley community.  In doing so, the WA Police Force sought the services of an architect with significant experience delivering place-led, contextual design solutions, on-country, based on true collaboration, and respect.

The design embraces form, local materiality, and colour, but is contextual and relatable to the Broome landscape. Responding to the land and waters, the earthy building form emerges from the ground as would a landform, moulded by the monsoonal rains and overland flow that shape the earth in the Kimberley region. 

The building seeks to maintain a residential scale, addressing the neighbourhood streets with sensitivity and warmth, whilst achieving the required levels of privacy and security with layers of screening and landscape.  WA Police Force’s technical and operational requirements are neatly concealed within the building.

As part of the design process, Gresley Abas and the client team presented the concept design to the Government Architect of WA for an independent design review process. Their resounding response below demonstrates the credibility of the design work and effort to date:

“The design presented has considerable merit with regard to many of the SPP7.0 Principles and appears the outcome of a sophisticated, considered design process that has resolved an array of specialist operational requirements into an attractive and highly functional architectural proposal.  Although the building is non-public facing, it will hold significant presence and prominence in its context. It will demand a high level of privacy and security due to its complex operations, while also integrating comfortably and appropriately into its surroundings. The bespoke design has thoughtfully addressed these complexities, delivering a sensitive architectural solution that respects both functional requirements and contextual integration.” 