Indigenous Design Framework
The University of Queensland actively seeks to build respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, lands, waters, knowledges, histories and rights through its core business of education and research, as well as its campus environments.
One of the ways the University can do this is to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander design values on UQ campuses, to better recognise and celebrate Indigenous connections and support our Indigenous students and staff to feel welcome and celebrated here.
This was corroborated in Section 9 of UQ's Reconciliation Action Plan 2019–2022, which details the University's commitment to incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values and spaces in the physical and built environment.
So, it is only fitting that two highly respected School of Architecture academics, Ms Carroll Go-Sam and Dr Kelly Greenop, who have a long history of Indigenous consultation, were invited to lead the UQ Indigenous Design Principles Project in August 2020. Working under a project control group co-chaired by UQ's Chief Property Officer Mr Fabby Ernesta and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) Professor Bronwyn Fredericks and sponsored by Chief Operating Officer Andrew Flannery, their work was an excellent example of collaboration across the University, particularly with staff from the Indigenous Engagement Division.
The launch of Campuses on Countries, featuring Professor Bronwyn Fredericks, Professor Deborah Terry AO and Mr Andrew Flannery
Catalysts for change
Ms Go-Sam, a Dyirbal gumbilbara bama woman from Ravenshoe, North Queensland, is a leading researcher in Indigenous architecture, and was project co-lead with Dr Greenop and researchers Dr Kali Marnane and Ms Theresa Bower in 2020–21 of UQ’s Campuses on Countries: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Design Framework at The University of Queensland, as well as its complementary engagement report.
Dr Greenop has extensive experience in qualitative research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in both urban and regional settings.
According to UQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Deborah Terry AO, their work will be a catalyst for change, and not just at UQ.
“The Indigenous Design Principles will guide architects, designers, project managers and contractors involved in delivering projects at the University,” Professor Terry said.
“Embedding Indigenous principles across our various sites and campuses gives all UQ staff, students and community the chance to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures.”
“And it paves the way for incorporating these values and knowledge into the built and landscape environments, for sustainable development, allowing us to acknowledge that the land, water, buildings and infrastructure are all connected.”
Walking the talk
Researchers Dr Marnane and Ms Bower began the project with a series of ‘walking interviews’ with Indigenous staff and students to discuss key spaces and features on the St Lucia campus, along with concepts for future improvements. Further interviews were then conducted at Herston, Gatton and Long Pocket.
The results were illuminating.
“We found that green and blue spaces, natural light, and buildings with open entries are highly valued, and that we have some great buildings,” Ms Go-Sam said.
“However, we need to reinforce the concept of storylines to show that UQ values the cultural heritage and knowledges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and not have them hidden away.”
Examples of positive design at UQ
Advanced Engineering Building
Advanced Engineering Building
Advanced Engineering Building
Advanced Engineering Building
Advanced Engineering Building
Advanced Engineering Building
ModWest Building
ModWest Building
Alumni Court
Alumni Court
Ideas for change
Following the extensive consultation process over several months, which culminated in the release of the Campuses on Countries document and its complementary engagement report, six key themes emerged:
- The need to care for Country
- The desire to connect to Country
- The ambition for representation of Indigenous cultures across campus
- Celebration of cultural knowledge and skills in every school
- A need for a new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit
- An ambition for an Indigenous Centre of Excellence, including in built form.
Key challenges within the current campus built environment include a lack of Indigenous cultural representation, difficulty navigating the campus easily, few comfortable seats outside, a dominance of ornamental rather than native plants, and buildings constructed without a connection to landscape.
Nevertheless, UQ has much potential to build on, with participants in the engagement process recognising and valuing important aspects of UQ’s campuses such as:
- unique site heritage and ecologies
- world-class buildings with natural materials that connect to landscape
- ecological and habitat zones
- local native plants
- sharing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and cultures.
Specifying Indigenous Design Principles for future built environment and landscape design projects reinforces UQ’s commitment to the provision of safe and welcoming spaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and provides best-practice/research-based guidance for designers on how this can be achieved.
“The Campuses on Countries engagement report is a demonstration of how we got there, so people have confidence that it’s well done, and reflects a genuine engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students,” Dr Greenop said.
Campuses on Countries engagement results
Grotesque of Jinibara man and 1950s UQ researcher Mr Willie Mackenzie, carved by Dr Rhyl Hinwood AM in 1978 and located on the Great Court wall of the Forgan Smith building. One staff participant in the survey said that this carving was "the most important Aboriginal site here.”
Grotesque of Jinibara man and 1950s UQ researcher Mr Willie Mackenzie, carved by Dr Rhyl Hinwood AM in 1978 and located on the Great Court wall of the Forgan Smith building. One staff participant in the survey said that this carving was "the most important Aboriginal site here.”
Survey results revealed that people like exterior spaces that are:
- shaded
- provide access to natural spaces with local native plants that engage the senses
- support biodiversity and demonstrate care toward local flora and fauna
- provide a range of seating options
- invite curiosity and learning
- are fun, surprising and colourful
- help with way finding.
Participants enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Bush Tucker Garden at UQ St Lucia and saw potential to extend the idea across campus, if the garden is well maintained and meaningful.
Participants enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Bush Tucker Garden at UQ St Lucia and saw potential to extend the idea across campus, if the garden is well maintained and meaningful.
People like buildings that:
- have open spaces
- have open entry with outdoor garden seating
- use natural materials
- incorporate the natural environment
- feel open
- have views
- bring natural light
- have a variety of seating options
- incorporate environmentally friendly and passive design principles.
Telling it like it is
Ms Go-Sam, Dr Greenop, Dr Marnane and Ms Bower have now produced the Campuses on Countries: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Design Framework to guide the work of architects, designers and builders in all future development, including buildings, green spaces and infrastructure – in essence, an Indigenous design framework summary for UQ.
“While the design principles will stay firm, it’s possible that procedures may change over time, to ensure that we incorporate them whenever needed,” Dr Greenop said.
“Indigenous people have important perspectives on what they need and want in their built environments, but at UQ we’re not used to hearing that and putting that into our designs.”
“The challenge is for our institution to implement these Indigenous perspectives into ‘business as usual’ when buildings are procured.”
Ms Go-Sam agrees, stating that the Indigenous design principles have a far broader reach in the general procurement process and UQ’s Supply Nation aspirations.
They will also become an integral component of UQ’s architectural curriculum so that architects of the future will learn how to engage with Indigenous communities and be informed firsthand of this perspective.
“This is very rare in architectural studies, and is an excellent way to acknowledge the ingenuity of the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and their ongoing resilience and numerous contemporary manifestations.”
Graphic images in headings: Elements created by CHABOO Designs, inspired by references to freshwater/saltwater – bana/banjin (Dyirbal language). Freshwater for many Indigenous peoples sustains life of all living things, and notably either its source, location and flow define different countries.
Words: Suzanne Parker
Built with Shorthand