Engaged by Halikos Developments, Rossi Architects delivered a staged urban intervention aimed at rejuvenating key civic spaces within Darwin’s CBD. Centred around the upgrades to the NAB Building, the primary design objective was to convert fragmented pedestrian paths into an integrated, human-centric public domain that prioritises thermal comfort, safety, and civic activation. By focusing on architectural gestures that respond directly to Darwin’s tropical context, the project seamlessly merges infrastructure, public amenity, and local cultural identity.
The initial phase focused on immediate street-level activation, introducing an expansive shade canopy along the Smith Street frontage of the NAB Building. Recognising that walkable, liveable cities rely heavily on microclimate management, this intervention drastically improves pedestrian comfort by mitigating heat island effects and offering continuous protection from extreme sun and seasonal downpours. This phase extended internally with a modern upgrade to the building’s main ground floor public foyer, creating an inviting visual connection between the streetscape and the interior civic realm.
In the second phase, developed in collaboration with the City of Darwin, the architectural narrative was expanded into a broader urban linkage. The covered public walkway was extended seamlessly from the NAB Building through to the adjacent car park and onto the Courtyard Hotel porte-cochère. This continuous sheltered movement corridor reinforces modern urban design principles for tropical climates—encouraging active transport, enhancing pedestrian mobility, and enriching the overall public amenity by stitching together previously isolated commercial and hospitality hubs.
A defining feature of this urban transformation is the reimagining of the former Chinatown car park, now renamed the Dragonfly Car Park. The structure’s façade was updated with a dynamic, bespoke perforated art screen designed in close collaboration with prominent Larrakia artist Jason Lee. Capturing the cultural story of the Bidjipidji (dragonfly)—a symbol signalling seasonal change and wind shifts in Larrakia culture—the perforated skin transforms a utilitarian parking structure into a landmark civic tapestry. The screen passively shades the building, promotes natural ventilation, and imbues the urban landscape with rich local narrative, anchoring modern tropical architecture firmly in its cultural landscape.
See link below about Jason Lee “The Bidjpidji Artist”