(Not so) Good Vibrations

Four friends with nothing to do.

In a neglected corner of an aged care facility in Hilton, up until recently, sat the home of two cockatoos and two galahs. They’d lived in their aviary for twelve long years. I say long because this whole time they were next to a motor room used for a mobile phone tower - which ran 24/7. Their entire lives had been accompanied by the industrial noise of machinery right next to where they perched, ate, and slept.

Sandwiched between a mobile phone tower and plantroom.

My partners father lives at the home and the first time I saw the birds my heart sank. Not only because of the whirring motors, but people rarely visited, and they had little stimulation inside or out. They couldn’t see trees, feel a cool breeze or rummage in soil - there was only a concrete slab.

The new aviary.

The birds were too domesticated to release into the wild so after discussions with management, it was decided that the aviary could be repurposed in a better location. However, reassembling the cage proved too difficult due to constructional limitations so Ehdo (in conjunction with Sam Worley) designed a new purpose-built aviary.

Their new neighbourhood.

Not freedom but at least better than before.

Now the birds reside under a shady tree, with natural soil and stimulation. Residents can sit and watch them. Most important of all, instead of the spiritless drone and vibration of motors, they now listen to and enjoy the wafting of wind through the trees.