Akuna Decorative Panels: Turning Park Infrastructure into Art

Across Australia, the way we design public spaces is evolving. Councils and designers are increasingly seeking infrastructure that does more than perform a function. Public assets are now expected to contribute to sense of place, reflect local identity, and respectfully acknowledge the stories of Country.

At GX Outdoors, we see this shift first-hand. It’s one of the key reasons we introduced decorative aluminium panels for the Akuna Drinking Fountain - and why we chose to launch this capability through a meaningful collaboration with artist Michael Japaljarri Wayne of Warlukurlangu Artists ↗. 

Custom artwork by Michael Japaljarri Wayne applied to Akuna Decorative Panel

Semi-Custom Design with ENDURALOX® Technology

The Akuna Decorative Panel is a printed aluminium panel integrated into the body of the Akuna Drinking Fountain using ENDURALOX® technology ↗ – a specialised, high-resolution imaging process engineered for long-term outdoor durability.

ENDURALOX® works at a material level. Ultra high-resolution imagery (up to 2800 dpi) is embedded directly into the open pores of anodised aluminium before being sealed. The image becomes part of the metal itself.

The result is a finish that:

• Won’t fade, peel or delaminate
• Resists graffiti and harsh weather exposure
• Maintains visual clarity in coastal and high-use environments
• Requires minimal maintenance
• Uses a 100% recyclable aluminium substrate

Panels can be updated over time, allowing public spaces to evolve as communities change and can feature:

• Artwork
• Photography
• Patterns
• Text
• Council logos or messaging

Importantly, artwork or graphics are not sold as pre-designed products. Each panel's art is custom-developed to suit your project’s vision, site context, and story.

Artwork can be supplied by your project team or commissioned directly from an artist, or GX Outdoors can work alongside you to prepare approved artwork for application to the panel.

Collaboration: Warlukurlangu Artists, Yuendumu NT

To demonstrate how decorative panels can support cultural storytelling, GX Outdoors collaborated with artist Michael Japaljarri Wayne, represented by Warlukurlangu Artists.

Michael is a Warlpiri man from Yuendumu in the Northern Territory. His artworks often depict stories connected with his Country, including waterholes, journeys, and ancestral narratives, expressed through distinctive patterning and colour.

Michael Japaljarri Wayne at Warlukurlangu Artists, Yuendumu NT 

For this collaboration, Michael created a custom artwork that has been translated onto a decorative aluminium panel fitted to the Akuna Drinking Fountain. The result is a functional hydration asset that also carries cultural story and visual presence within the landscape.

This collaboration showcases what is possible when infrastructure becomes a vehicle for storytelling and reflects the way many councils and designers are now working on public projects - engaging with First Nations artists and art centres early in design, and embedding cultural narratives in infrastructure in ways aligned with local Reconciliation Action Plans, cultural protocols, and Designing with Country principles.

GX Outdoors can translate approved artwork from artists or art centres, along with photography, text, or logos, onto durable decorative panels integrated into the Akuna system.

Click below to hear Michael talk about the collaboration and his artwork.

*This artwork is an example only. It is not a design available for purchase. If you wish to collaborate with Warlukurlangu Artists or other First Nations artists for your project, we encourage you to engage directly with their team to explore appropriate cultural consultation and licensing.

Visit Warlukurlangu Artists ↗

Akuna Drinking Fountain - Designed for Public Spaces

Akuna is a robust, contemporary drinking fountain designed for Australian public spaces, combining performance, durability, and clean architectural form.

Designed with water efficiency in mind, Akuna features internal water management that directs excess water from the bubbler and bottle refill into the integrated dog bowl - helping reduce runoff and support water conservation.

Not only can Akuna be customised with decorative panels, but it is also available for   unlimited powder-coat colour matching to suit your project’s aesthetic.

Key features include:

• WaterMark certified
• Robust aluminium body 
• Optional bottle refill point 
•   Optional dog bowl
•  Optional maintenance tap
  

Download CAD Files and Product Drawings on the product page.

Specify Akuna for Your Next Project

Our collaboration with Warlukurlangu Artists for the Akuna Decorative Panel artwork is one example of how GX Outdoors approaches design -through experience, research, and collaboration.

It represents our broader semi-custom capability across our complete park solutions range, including public shade structures, park BBQ's, modular seating, bike racks, bin enclosures and more - where form, function, and site context are considered together.

If you’re exploring how this approach could support your next project, we’d welcome a conversation.

Related Reading

Designing with Country: Recentring First Nations Knowledge in Practice
Explore the principles behind designing with First Nations knowledge and why it's reshaping how landscape architects and councils approach public space in Australia.