Built on the land of the Yorta Yorta nation
The first thing you’ll notice about the northern Victorian town of Shepparton is its interminable flatness, with the topography and nutrient-rich soil of the Goulburn River floodplain contributing to the region’s reputation as the “food bowl of Australia.” The second thing is the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM). Designed by Denton Corker Marshall, it stands tall and proud on the main highway into the town, in stark contrast to the flatness.
John Denton, founding director of Denton Corker Marshall, says there are three reasons for this tallness. The first is to mitigate against floods, which Denton Corker Marshall has done by raising the building onto its own man-made “art hill,” beneath which the building’s services are
