Architectus acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and learn.

We honour their unique cultural and spiritual relationships with the lands, waters, skies, and communities, and pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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Reconciliation

We put our intentions into action through our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which builds on the relationships we’ve forged with First Nations collaborators and communities.

The RAP framework set out by Reconciliation Australia provides our practice with a structured approach to progressing our efforts.

Our RAP journey

We started our journey in 2020, when we established our first Reflect RAP. Our aim was to shift our understanding from acknowledgment to listening, learning, and working with First Nations peoples in our practice and projects.

We then renewed our Reflect RAP in 2022, reaffirming our commitment to reconciliation through deeper relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, groups, organisations, and businesses. In 2024, Reconciliation Australia endorsed our Innovate RAP, making us one of just a handful of design practices in Australia at the time progressing to this phase.

More recently, our second Innovate RAP was endorsed by Reconciliation Australia in early 2026. To learn more, you can download the full RAP here.

Together, our RAPs have provided us with a framework for prioritising and integrating reconciliation into our practice and design process. As a result, we approach our work differently, with totally new initiatives now in place across many aspects of our business.

Working with artist and Yindjibarndi woman Katie West to create a piece representing our first Innovate RAP

Action by practice

Our RAP formalises our commitment to Indigenous employment and procurement practices as well as our respect for culture and Country.

Recognising the gap in First Nations participation in the design and property industry, we are aiming to improve pathways into the profession by working with groups like Career Trackers and Aurora Education Foundation and running our own Work Experience Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary school students.

In addition, we partner with industry peers on initiatives such as the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s First Nations Pathways Program. In 2026 Architectus and Slattery celebrated our fifth consecutive year supporting the program, delivered with Mob in Fashion.

The 2026 First Nations Runway, part of the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s First Nations Pathways Program

Relationships and principles

We enter into conversations and collaborations with First Nations designers, advisors, artists, and communities. We also strive to incorporate First Nations design principles, artworks, and wisdom into our projects.

We are guided by the principles of the Australian Indigenous Design Charter, particularly when it comes to Indigenous-led design input, community specific cultural protocols, impacts of design, and shared knowledge methodologies for all levels of engagement.

Our 242 Exhibition Street project on Wurundjeri Country, featuring a collaborative artwork by First Nations artist Simone Thompson inspired by the river and its commerce – the song of water

First Nations cultural learning

Our practice recognises that education and awareness are an important part of the pathway to reconciliation.

All Architectus employees participate in a form of First Nations cultural awareness training, whether that’s the SBS Inclusion Program, industry-based professional development, or small group education settings. This work gives employees the opportunity to:

– Improve their knowledge of the importance of First Nations history, culture, and spirituality

– Understand the impact of colonisation and the trauma felt by Stolen Generations

– Develop an appreciation for the concept of First Nations family and kinship

– Learn to how to establish meaningful relationships with First Nations peoples and groups, and

– Understand how to work collaboratively with First Nations groups to continue our reconciliation process as individuals and as a business.