Architectus launches Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan
At Architectus we are acutely aware that we design places and spaces that occupy the unceded lands of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and that these First Peoples maintain the greatest connection and knowledge of place.
Our reconciliation journey has commenced, and we want to build our understanding from acknowledgment to listening, learning, and working with First Peoples in our practice and in our projects. Now is the time to put our intention into action, and for Architectus our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is an essential part of our commitment to action. We want to make reconciliation tangible in our practice, our process and in our built work. We look to the Architectus studios in New Zealand as a reference point, where the creative process is bi-cultural, where First Peoples are at the heart of decision making, where organisational concepts, the expression of cultural values, landscapes and identity are firmly embedded within projects.
The Architectus RAP Group was formed across our five Australian studios and across all disciplines and roles of the practice. This group of 14 people explored how we can expand our connections and activities to make truly meaningful and fruitful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations and businesses. It has been a true collaboration to create our first RAP. We have had the privilege and the pleasure of working with artist Heather Kamarra Shearer and graphic agency Little Rocket on the visual components of our RAP.
We would like to thank Reconciliation Australia for their guidance and feedback as we established our RAP. It was a galvanising experience for our practice, and we encourage all our colleagues in the design, property, and construction industries to embark on their own RAP journey, if they haven’t already.
It is with humility, optimism, and anticipation that I offer the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples the Architectus Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan. We commit to, and look forward to, our journey of reconciliation with you.
Ray Brown,
CEO Architectus
View our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan here.
