The University of Queensland has launched its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Design Framework intended to reshape campuses to better recognize, include and celebrate connections to place.
The framework analysed each of the university’s campuses and consulted with Indigenous students and staff about their associations with various sites. It also sets out six key Indigenous design principles.
Led by UQ senior lecturer of architecture Carroll Go-Sam, the Campuses on Countries framework “paves the way for future incorporation of Indigenous knowledges and excellence into the physical environment across UQ’s many campuses and sites.”
At its launch event, Go-Sam delivered a powerful call-to-action speech addressing developers, architects and landscape architects about how they can better co-design with Indigenous practitioners and collaborators for more meaningful project outcomes.
Go-Sam emphasized that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ participation, knowledge and perspective is meaningful and important, for both the university and broader society.
“[The framework is] a set of design principles to ensure that Indigenous Australian knowledges and perspectives are incorporated into UQ’s physical and built environments,” said UQ vice-chancellor and president Deborah Terry. “We will use this framework to guide the development of our places and spaces, so that they are welcoming, educational and inspirational locations.”
Bronwyn Fredericks, pro-vice-chancellor Indigenous engagement, added that the framework was an important step in the university’s reconciliation journey.
“Can I be clear, the framework is not about Blak brushing UQ’s campuses with Indigenous-themed murals, decal designs, or adding bush tucker gardens and yarning circles,” said Go-Sam said at the launch.
“The Campuses on Countries Framework is not asking those ‘not in the know’ to design something Indigenous about Indigenous people to the exclusion of Indigenous people. The starting point is engagement.”
The framework also identified several precedent projects where First Nations leadership had successfully informed and shaped, if not entirely dictated, public architectural and artistic projects related to campuses.
They included: Ngoolark Student Services Building at Edith Cowan University (2015) by JCY Architects and Urban Designers; Birabahn Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Centre (2002) by Peter Stutchbury Architects; the Eyes of the Land and Sea Sculpture at Kamay Botany Bay by Alison Page and Dillon Kombumerri (2020); Murri Totems by Reko Rennie at the La Trobe Institute of Molecular Science forecourt(2013); and the Koorie Heritage Trust by Lyons (2015).
The Campuses on Countries Framework follows similar documents developed by other universities around Australia incluing Queensland University of Technology’s Campus to Country, and the University of Sydney’s Wingara Mura-Bunga Barrabugu design principles.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
