Powerful voices in reconciliation share insights with Architectus

As National Reconciliation Week draws to a close, we’ve been reflecting on the valuable insights shared with us by two changemakers in the field: Professor Marcia Langton AO – Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne – and Christian Hampson, CEO and co-founder of Yerrabingin and a frequent collaborator with Architectus.

“Are we telling stories for others or creating space for them to speak?” Professor Langton asked in a recent address to our studios on designing for cultural safety.

One of the most powerful voices in conversations about First Peoples, she pointed out that “asking communities what safety looks and feels like” is a crucial step toward truly achieving cultural safety in built form.

Professor Langton also maintains that co-design needs to be a “foundation, not an afterthought,” while also pointing out that designers must respect that non-involvement in a project is also a right of First Peoples.

In an address covering everything from Indigenous knowledge and intellectual property to exemplar projects and reference materials, she shared a wealth of information that our design teams can draw on in the future.

‘Bridging Now to Next’

Taking cues from this year’s National Reconciliation Week theme, ‘Bridging Now to Next’, Christian Hampson demonstrated how we can move forward in our reconciliation journey through an authentic, connected to Country approach to design practice.

Christian believes designers need to shift away from romantic notions we might have about “simply reconnecting to the past”. Instead, he argues that we should think about Country as continuous and evolving.

“We all have a responsibility to design for the future with legacy in mind,” said Christian, adding that we’re not just caring for Country but mending it through a regenerative process.

He also touched on ways to make Country accessible to everyone, creating environments that bring people together and allow them to “emotionally connect with” and “sense” Country.

Some of Christian’s project  exemplars are work we’re fortunate to be involved in, including  UNE Tamworth Central Campus, Barangaroo Harbour Park, and the Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal.

Pathways to richer design outcomes

In addition to thought-provoking events in recent weeks, we also launched a practical new resource for all our design teams at Architectus, ‘Pathways: A Guide to Designing with Country’.

The guide is intended to help us deepen our understanding of reconciliation, build on our relationships with First Nations collaborators and communities, and elevate designing with Country outcomes.

As a practice, we know that advancing reconciliation is a journey we have to continue each day. We’re committed to working with collaborators and experts who have the knowledge and insight we need to do that in a meaningful way.