Architects, developers and government agencies will be asked to commit to prioritizing and protecting Indigenous connection to Country under a new planning framework released by the Government Architect NSW.
The Connecting with Country draft framework was developed with GANSW principal architect and Yugembir-Goori man Dillon Kombumerri, in close collaboration with senior knowledge holders from Indigenous communities. It’s designed as a tool to support both non-Indigenous and Indigenous project teams to create places, buildings and infrastructure that respect their connection to Aboriginal land. The goal is to place consideration of Country at the heart of the state’s planning system.
“For Aboriginal people, Country is significant for identity and sense of wellbeing,” said Kombumerri.
“Connecting with Country will help all those involved in the development and delivery of projects better understand the value of Aboriginal knowledge in the design and planning of places.”
As well as outlining practical steps design teams can take to prioritize Country, the draft framework includes a statement of commitment. Project teams are asked to affirm that they will “respect the rights of Aboriginal peoples to Indigenous cultural intellectual property,” “prioritise financial and economic benefits to the Country” where they are working and “share tangible and intangible benefits with the Country [and] by extension the Traditional Custodians of that Country.”
NSW government architect Abbie Galvin said the document suggests ways that project teams can respond to new directions in planning policy relating to Aboriginal culture and heritage.
“It aims to support the work of Aboriginal colleagues and community leaders who have already developed ways of engaging with Aboriginal communities, providing Aboriginal employment opportunities, design protocols, and protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage,” she said.
“We can build wonderful places when we take account of the unique character of the landscape. The Kamay Botany Bay National Park in Kurnell, and Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation in the Richmond Valley are great examples.”
The draft document puts forward a number of projects as case studies including the Gayini (Nimmie-Caira) Project, a water infrastructure project led by the government’s Water Resources Team with the Nari Nari Tribal Council, and the Echo Point Visitor Centre, designed by Chrofi Architects and Breakspear Architects with engagement consultant Yatu Widders-Hunt of Cox Inall Ridgeway. “The Traditional Custodians challenged the design team to find ways of creating a special and place-specific experience for visitors that was unique to Echo Point, and which enhanced their experience of Country,” the framework says of the project.
The release of the draft Connecting with Country framework follows the publication of the Designing with Country discussion paper in June 2020. Over a 12-month pilot program, a number of government projects will include significantly lincreased Aboriginal leadership and participation to test out the framework.
