Lymesmith: Between Mountains Mural

– CENTO Apartments, 100 Northbourne Avenue

Side of the Between Mountains mural reflecting the western face of Mt Ainslie, featuring warm earthy tones and abstract patterns inspired by the landscape.

Side of the Between Mountains mural inspired by the southern slope of Galambary (Black Mountain), with cool tones and abstract patterns reflecting the landscape.

Project Overview:

Between Mountains is a monumental 7-storey mural that graces the public spaces of the CENTO Apartments in Canberra. Designed by Lymesmith, this large-scale artwork engages with the surrounding environment and its natural landmarks—Galambary (Black Mountain) and Nadya Ngambri (Mt Ainslie). Painted with over 100 colours, the mural enhances the building’s circulation corridors and transforms the space into a living connection to the landscape.

Project Details:

Location: CENTO Apartments, 100 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra, ACT
Artwork Type: 7-storey mural
Dimensions: 7 storeys high, spanning multiple floors
Materials Used: 100 different colours of Resene Lumbersider
Installation: Painted from a swing stage
Project Duration: 4 weeks
Project Completion: 2023

The design for Between Mountains was conceived by Lymesmith as a way to connect the building to its unique geographical context. The starting point for the design was the building’s location—on a site that, upon closer inspection, revealed a powerful alignment with two of the region’s iconic peaks: Galambary (Black Mountain) and Nadya Ngambri (Mt Ainslie).

The building’s internal circulation corridors offered a blank concrete wall, with no direct views or orientation cues. However, Lymesmith discovered that a line drawn between the summits of these two mountains runs right through the building itself. This insight became the inspiration for the mural’s concept—Between Mountains, symbolizing the connection between the building and the land it inhabits.

The mural is divided into two halves. On the right, the colours reflect the southern slope of Galambary, while the left side echoes the western face of Mt Ainslie. The design positions the building in its physical and cultural context, welcoming residents home to Country.

The mural is comprised of 100 individual rectangles, each large enough to frame a human body. These grid-like “cells” are filled with 100 different colours of Resene Lumbersider, chosen to reflect the unique landscape of the surrounding mountains. The mural’s size and scale offer numerous vantage points, but no single view captures the entire work. To fully appreciate it, residents must explore multiple floors and interact with their neighbours to experience different perspectives of the artwork.

Mt Ainslie side of the Between Mountains mural with reflections of light from the building's windows, highlighting the warm, earthy tones and abstract design.

Looking up at painters working off a swing stage, painting the Between Mountains mural in Canberra, designed by Lymesmith

The mural was painted over four weeks by Lymesmith, with the assistance of The Art of Wall team (Leia Sidery and Jo Breneger) and Michael Tawa. The work was executed from a swing stage, allowing the team to reach the mural’s vast height and apply the vibrant colours with precision. The collaborative effort transformed the building’s public circulation spaces, enriching the environment and creating a vibrant tapestry that feels both intimate and grand in scale.

Project Credits:

Client: Alceon Property Group
Interior Design: Dept of Design
Mural Concept + Design: Lymesmith
Mural Painting Team: Lymesmith, The Art of Wall (Leia Sidery and Jo Breneger), Michael Tawa
Builder: Blackett Commercial
Photography: Sonia van de Haar, Dale Wow