Celebrating Culture, Country and Community
Delivered by Sarah Constructions on behalf of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield (CoPAE), the Yitpi Yartapuultiku Cultural Centre is a landmark cultural and community project shaped through extensive engagement with the Kaurna community. Spanning almost 49,000m² along the Port River, the project comprises a 2,126m² cultural centre, living shoreline, landscaped gathering areas, and walking trails, all designed to celebrate place, culture, and community.
Sarah was engaged under a Construct Only contract and led the delivery from October 2023 to April 2025, achieving practical completion ahead of the centre’s official opening on 1 June 2025. The project was constructed in a highly collaborative environment, with multiple layers of cultural, environmental, and community priorities carefully balanced across every phase.
Indigenous Engagement and Cultural Legacy
Cultural engagement and respect for Country were foundational to this project. Sarah went beyond standard practices, working closely with the Aboriginal Elders Cultural Working Group, organising school tours, and hosting site visits with local Indigenous AFL players and the Governor of South Australia.
Indigenous participation targets were not only met—they were exceeded, with over $1.7M in Indigenous-owned procurement and employment outcomes delivered. Culturally responsive initiatives included Indigenous-designed hi-vis vests and shade cloth, traditional ceremonies at key milestones, and the incorporation of Indigenous artwork in pavements surrounding the building.
Commissioned Artwork and Gift to CoPAE
As a lasting expression of cultural respect and place, Sarah led the commissioning and delivery of two major façade artworks by Narungga, Kaurna and Trawoolwaway artist Daen Sansbury-Smith. These large-scale pieces—Towards Lartelare and Towards Karta—celebrate Kaurna connection to land, spirit, and story, with themes centred around Country, resilience, and cultural continuity. Though initially omitted due to budget constraints, Sarah chose to proceed with the design development and supply of the artworks, gifting them to CoPAE ahead of the official opening. The result is a powerful, visual bookend to the Centre—both symbolically and physically anchoring it in Kaurna culture. (Photos of the artwork, below)
Sustainability and Innovation
The project evolved from a 5 Star to a 6 Star Green Star target mid-delivery, with Sarah proactively working alongside the design team and consultants to adjust and implement upgrades.
The Centre is fully electric, powered by 100% renewable electricity. A 50kW rooftop solar PV system and a late introduced 50kW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) work in tandem to reduce emissions and energy demand. Energy efficiency is further enhanced through smart systems, including CO₂ sensors that detect occupancy and optimise mechanical plant operation only when required.
Passive design and thermal modelling were employed to strengthen climate resilience—supporting comfort through heatwaves and storms.
Over 355m³ of ECOPact low-carbon concrete was used, reducing embodied carbon without compromising strength. Landscaping design was focused on long-term environmental benefits through native dry-grown grasses and minimal irrigation.
The shoreline was reshaped using over 6,000 tonnes of imported rock and sand to form a living shoreline—functionally robust and ecologically sensitive. Over 90% of construction waste was diverted from landfill, and more than 90% of materials were sourced under the Green Star Responsible Products Framework.
Certified under Green Star Buildings v1, its performance was tracked, verified, and reported—ensuring accountability from design through to delivery.
Stakeholder Engagement and Community Inclusion
With over 85 personnel and 39 plant items at peak construction, Sarah managed complex delivery logistics while maintaining strong engagement with all stakeholders. Frequent site visits from the client, consultants, and the Cultural Working Group ensured transparency and inclusion. The engagement of Sarah’s Aboriginal Engagement Officer, Josef Hawke, throughout construction ensured ongoing community consultation and respectful implementation of cultural elements.
Delivering with Purpose
Yitpi Yartapuultiku is more than a cultural facility—it’s a place of connection, learning, and celebration. Through careful stakeholder engagement, adaptive construction methods, and a deep respect for Country, Sarah Constructions delivered a space that reflects the vision of its people and honours the land on which it stands. The team’s commitment to cultural collaboration and excellence sets a benchmark for how meaningful engagement can shape built outcomes that are as impactful as they are enduring.
Yitpi Yartapuultiku means soul of Port Adelaide and it’s turned out to be exactly that … everyone comes here now. It’s a community centre that everyone feels happy about, a place of wellbeing and reflection, and you can walk the dog, and the kids can play on the playgrounds … you’ve got the sea at the back, you got a dance ground outside, you got places inside. The people spoke — Aboriginal cultures here. People want to be a part of it. They want to learn about their heritage as Australians and connect to us and connect to country.
