Whadjuk people of the Nyoongar nation
Western Australia
The Angela Wright Bennett Centre, founded through the Ruah Centre for Women and Children Project, is Australia’s first, state-of-the-art healing and recovery centre dedicated to supporting women and children affected by family and domestic violence.
The seven-storey building provides medical, counselling and legal services and accommodation for families reclaiming their independence and wellbeing. It’s home to the Karlup Service – a specialised healing and recovery service, which will assist approximately 600 women and children annually.
The project vision was to create calm and safe spaces and amenities for families. A vital element of the brief was to provide consolidated services in one location to minimise the risk of re-traumatisation and to enable a more streamlined path to recovery.
Inside, the centre features a nature-inspired colour palette and intuitive design to help women and children feel at ease. The building’s flexible floor plans will allow the spaces to evolve without sacrificing functionality.
Architectus has produced an architectural gem, resolving a complex range of planning issues to deliver an elegant, well planned and beautifully detailed building. It is an excellent environment designed to assist in giving broken lives a change to rebuild in a safe and well-designed setting. RUAH is divided into three planning functions which is reflected in it approach to space planning and architectural expression.
The Ruah Centre is an elegant and understated response underpinned by a complex layering of security and safety provisions to support and enable women escaping family and domestic violence. Through trauma informed design and close collaboration with RUAH staff and women with lived experience from diverse cultural backgrounds a careful balance of dignity, privacy and empowerment has been achieved. For the first time, short-term accommodation, and support services have been combined under one roof, reducing the re-traumatisation by providing everything women need to begin rebuilding their lives. Digital protection and physical security has been carefully considered and integrated with planning that ensures separation between the building’s three key groups: the women seeking refuge, the staff and the public visiting the foundation. Empathy for the women and children who temporarily call this place home or visit for services is evident throughout the design. From the inconspicuous façade that sits within its context giving no indication of it use or additional entry points, to the automatic lift override taking the women where they need to go or the inward facing courtyard allowing women and their children to enjoy external spaces without being seen from the street.
The Ruah Centre for Women and Children is designed with a focus on the healing and recovery of women and children impacted by family and domestic violence. It balances safety, privacy, and comfort, with dedicated spaces for services and inviting communal areas that encourage connection. The layout is intentionally designed to empower individuals, supporting them as they regain control, rebuild trust, and embrace a new life, free from violence.
Mark Black, Principal in Charge
Matt Smith, Principal in Charge
Lauren Hampton, Project Architect
Colm Donnelly, Project Leader
Laura Moreno, Interior Designer
Eleni Gogos, Project Architect
Jake Mckinley, Graduate of Architecture
Stirling Fletcher, Interior Designer
Kate Bowler, Project Architect
Will Lakin, Project Architect
Rujuta Dalwadi, Designer
Farouk Korek, Designer
Nikita Demetriou, Interior Designer
Margherita Portelli, Interior Designer
Emelie Andersson, Interior Designer
Taylor Cortez, Student
Mark Bredmeyer, Project Architect
Kim McGrath, Interior Designer
Jasmine Della Bonna, Graduate of Interior Design
BG&E, Structural and Civil Engineer
Inhabit, Façade Engineer
Norman Disney Young, Mechanical, Electrical, Fire, Hydro, ESD, Acoustic Engineer
McKenzie Group, BCA Consultant