Local Cultures – Global Spaces
Abstract
An ever increasing feature of architecture school design studio programs in Australia is to set project briefs grounded in real-world problem scenarios of Indigenous peoples. Mediated by the studio coordinator, students participate in project-based learning related to specific situational and contextual elements derived from the community setting. Little has been explored in how deep listening methods are employed within the context of design studio teaching in relation to visualising, valuing and informing the aspirational dreams of Indigenous communities. Employing critical reflective methods, this paper will explore relational approaches to project-based problem learning which employ ‘deep listening’ methods to meet, capture and elaborate three dreams of Indigenous communities, senior Elders and knowledge holders, explored within three Indigenous-led design studios by three built environment academics. Many Indigenous communities express aspirational dreams as part of their Story; these are often ‘big’ and ambitious and have remained unrealised due to a lack of resources, land title and/tenure and the ability to navigate regulatory or governmental barriers. The paper will focus not on how deep listening techniques are taught to students, but rather how the authors as design studio leaders engage in deep listening methods that are particular to each studio context. We contend the design studio itself becomes insinuated in the Story of the community through the dream; responding to, valuing, visualising and informing the dreams of the community. Through an ongoing iterative process, we argue that the design studio becomes part of the ongoing transformation of the dreams.
Carroll Go-Sam is Dyirbal gumbilbara bama of Ravenshoe, North Queensland. A graduate with B.Arch (Hons) UQ in 1997 and Director of Indigenous Engagement in the School of Architecture. She has research interests in Indigenous architecture where it intersects with public, civic, social and institutional architecture. Carroll is engaged in research, consultation and design practice with specific interests in Indigeneity in architecture and civic space and Indigenous-led housing.She is the co-lead of UQ’s Campuses on Countries Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement and Design Framework.
Christine Phillips is a non-Indigenous registered architect, academic and writer based in the Eastern Kulin Nation at RMIT University. Christine is passionate about architectural heritage, Australian architecture and its history and culture , and practice along with working towards a reconciled future within Australia’s built environment. As Senior Lecturer within RMIT’s Architecture Program, Christine is currently working on innovative ways of transforming design education to celebrate the 60,000+ years of our First Nations’ culture in Australia and is a co-leader of the RMIT Architecture & Urban Design Yulendj Weelam Lab.
Jock Gilbert is a non-Indigenous registered landscape architect based in the Eastern Kulin Nation at RMIT University and member of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects. His research interests lie in community engagement, regenerative practice and Indigenous-led design research, focused around the development of green infrastructure through the convergence of concepts of place, Country and landscape. His academic practice has been recognised with research awards at state and national levels with his work being exhibited nationally and published internationally. Jock is also a co-leader of the RMIT Architecture & Urban Design Yulendj Weelam Lab.