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First Nations
Advisory Committee
and Cultural
Reference Panel

The 2018 Nicholas Murcutt Award for Small Project Architecture | krakani lumi | Taylor and Hinds Architects with the Aboriginal Land Council | Tasmania | Photographer: Adam Gibson

First Nations Advisory Committee and Cultural Reference Panel

Caring for Country practices, including architecture and place-shaping, have existed on this continent since time immemorial

At the Institute, we are committed to advancing understanding with First Nations peoples in recognition of this enduring and ongoing connection to these lands and waters.

We recognise a professional commitment to engage and act meaningfully through reciprocal partnership and relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is with acknowledgement and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Countries, Cultures and Communities, and their ways of being, knowing and doing.

Uluru Statement from the Heart

The Institute unequivocally supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart

The Statement is an invitation to the broader Australian population to create a better future and proposes some key reforms.

The Statement calls for three actions of Voice, Treaty and Truth addressed as follows in the Statement:

  • Voice: We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.
  • Treaty and Truth: We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreements between governments and First Nations, and truth telling about our history.

The Institute supports Constitutional Recognition and the Voice to Parliament in the upcoming referendum.

We recognise that Constitutional Recognition of First Nations peoples is the right and just thing to do and is a critical step in righting many of the past wrongs that are deeply entrenched in our history.

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Get to know your Committee and the Cultural Reference Panel

The members of the First Nations Advisory Committee and Cultural Reference Panel are:

Committee Co-Chairs

Sarah Lynn Rees (Palawa)

Sarah is a lecturer at Monash University and practices architecture at Jackson Clements Burrows Architects.

SARAH LYNN REES (PALAWA)

Sarah is a Palawa woman, living and working within the Kulin Nation. Sarah is a Lecturer at Monash University, practices architecture at Jackson Clements Burrows Architects  where she also is also a Lead Indigenous Advisor: Architecture and Design. Sarah curates the BLAKitecture series for Mpavilion and holds several board and advisory roles including: Director of Parlour: Women, Equity, Architecture, and member of the Victorian Design Review Panel for the Office of the Victorian Government Architect.

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Professor Paul Memmott AO

Paul is a trans-disciplinary researcher and practitioner in the fields of architecture and anthropology.

PROFESSOR PAUL MEMMOTT AO

Paul is a trans-disciplinary researcher and practitioner (architect/anthropologist) and has been the Director of the Aboriginal Environments Research Centre (AERC) and the Indigenous Design Place (IDP) at the University of Queensland. Memmott’s field of research encompasses the cross-cultural study of the people-environment relations of Indigenous peoples with their natural and built environments, including Aboriginal housing and settlement design, Aboriginal access to institutional architecture, Indigenous constructs of place and cultural landscapes, vernacular architecture and Native Title, social planning in Indigenous communities, homelessness and family violence. He has had a life-long commitment in this field of work for the past 50 years.

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Committee Members

Black and white headshot of Georgia Birks
GEORGIA BIRKS (KAMILAORI/DUNGHUTTI)

Georgia Birks is an associate editor at Architecture Media and a proud descendant of the Kamilaori and Dunghutti people.  

GEORGIA BIRKS (KAMILAORI/DUNGHUTTI)​

Prior to her role as associate editor, Georgia practised architecture in Brisbane, assisting the delivery of a range of projects across Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.  

Georgia completed her Bachelor of Architectural Design and Master of Architecture from the University of Queensland. Georgia is passionate about art, architecture and design.  

She has written a number of reviews, curated industry conferences, participated as a guest university critic and lecturer and been a guest speaker on panels across Australia.  

She co-curator of the Asia Pacific Architecture Festival and a member of the Australian Institute of Architects Cultural Reference Panel.  

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Dr Shaneen Fantin

Shaneen is co-Director of POD (People Oriented Design) and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Queensland and James Cook University.

DR SHANEEN FANTIN

Shaneen is co-Director of POD (People Oriented Design): a multi-disciplinary practice committed to sustainability and intercultural design. Shaneen has an unusual combination of skills including architecture, stakeholder engagement, project management, research and teaching. She is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Queensland and James Cook University. She undertook her PhD in Arnhem Land with Yolngu peoples in the late 1990s, which focussed on the relationship between culture and the design of built environments.

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Bradley Kerr (Ngugi/Nunukul)

Bradley is a Quandamooka man and an architect at Kennedy Nolan Architects.

BRADLEY KERR (NGUGI/NUNUKUL)

Bradley is a Quandamooka man and an architect at Kennedy Nolan Architects, working and living within the Kulin Nation. While at university, Bradley volunteered for AIME and spent time on Minjerribah with the Quandamooka Peoples, learning more about the progression of self-built housing at One Mile. Bradley has participated as a guest university critic, been a guest speaker and moderator on panels with EmAGN and BLAKitecture, and a juror for the Institute awards.

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Louis Anderson Mokak (Djugun)

Louis is an interdisciplinary designer, who focuses on resetting the narrative and power dynamic between those who benefit from the ongoing colonisation of these lands, and those whose Indigenous sovereign rights be more fully exercised.

LOUIS ANDERSON MOKAK (DJUGUN)

Louis is a Djugun man from West Kimberley based in Narrm/Birrarung-ga (Melbourne). He is a designer, writer, and consultant, studying a Master of Architecture at RMIT, who focuses on resetting the power imbalance between those who have long benefited off the power to make decisions and those whose Indigenous sovereign rights should be more fully exercised. Louis is a Director at Indigenous Architecture and Design Victoria (IADV), Cultural Advisor and Student of Architecture at Studio Bright, and a freelance Indigenous Consultant.

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Alison Page (Walbanga/Wadi)

Alison is an award-winning designer and film producer whose career links indigenous stories and traditional knowledge with contemporary design.

ALISON PAGE (WALBANGA/WADI)

Alison is a Walbanga and Wadi Wadi woman and is an award-winning Designer and Film Producer whose career spanning 22 years links indigenous stories and traditional knowledge with contemporary design. She appeared for eight years as a regular panelist on the ABC TV show, The New Inventors  and in 2015, was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia’s Hall of Fame. She is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the UTS Design School and the founder of the National Aboriginal Design Agency.

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Finn Pedersen

Finn is a co-founder and director of Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects and has an interest in culture, social justice, landscape and how architecture can affect and enhance the relationship between people and place.

FINN PEDERSEN

Finn is a Co-founder and Director of Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects, a Perth and Melbourne based studio with a diverse body of work throughout Australia. Finn has an interest in Culture, Social Justice, landscape, and how architecture can affect and enhance the relationship between people and place. He has worked with many Aboriginal communities throughout Western Australia and is particularly interested in the manner that architecture and design can provide innovative solutions that are deeply respectful of traditional culture. 

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Cultural Reference Panel Members

Carroll Go-Sam (Dyirrbal/Bama)

Carroll is an architectural graduate, lecturer and researcher in the School of Architecture, University of Queensland.

CARROLL GO-SAM (DYIRRBAL/BAMA)

Carroll is an architectural graduate, lecturer and researcher in the School of Architecture, University of Queensland (UQ), Brisbane. Carroll descends from Dyirbal bama peoples in gumbilbarra country on the Herbert and Tully Bana (Water) basins, north Queensland. Carroll currently leads Indigenising School of Architecture curriculum. She was previously a research fellow within Indigenous Design Place (IDP), a cross-faculty strategic research initiative funded by UQ a recipient of an ARC Indigenous Discovery Award. Her research interests are at the intersection of Indigenous themes in architecture and place keeping leading to articles, book chapters, conference papers, encyclopaedia entries, professional journals, online media, architectural design and written creative works.

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Dillon Kombumerri (Yugembir)

Dillon is the Principal Architect for the Government Architect NSW.

DILLON KOMBUMERRI (YUGEMBIR)

Dillon is the Principle Architect for the Government Architect NSW.  Originally from Queensland, he grew up on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerriba) and is a Yugembir descendent from the Gold Coast. A strategic design thinker and social conciliator with a passion for projects that seek to improve the health, well-being and prosperity of Aboriginal communities. With over 25 years of experience in architectural practice Dillon brings his own unique Aboriginal perspective to re-imaging the built environment. During this time, he has also been teaching and lecturing globally in many forums to shine a light on the often hidden value of Aboriginal knowledge and how it can positively influence private and public agencies to deliver better outcomes for the built environment.

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Jefa Greenaway (Wailwan/Kamilaroi)

Jefa is founding director of Greenaway Architects, a University of Melbourne senior academic and a regular design commentator on ABC Radio Melbourne.

JEFA GREENAWAY (WAILWAN/KAMILAROI)

Jefa is founding Director of Greenaway Architects, a University of Melbourne senior academic, and a regular design commentator on ABC Radio Melbourne. He’s championed Indigenous led design thinking for over 25 years, including as co-founder of Indigenous Architecture + Design Victoria, and as co-author of the acclaimed International Indigenous Design Charter. Jefa is a founding signatory of Architects Declare Australia, co-curator of the Australian exhibition at La Biennale Architettura di Venezia 2020 and was recently inducted into the DIA ‘Hall of Fame’.

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Michael Mossman (Kuku Yalanji)
Michael is a lecturer, PhD candidate and researcher at the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning.

MICHAEL MOSSMAN (KUKU YALANJI)

Michael is a Lecturer, PhD Candidate and Researcher at the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning. He is a trained architect with over 15 years of professional practice engagement. His architectural design expertise relating to Aboriginal community-focused outcomes provides a basis for his unique perspectives to be applied to designed environments. Michael is currently the co-chair for the NSW AIA Reconciliation Working Group.

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Advancing this professional commitment

Meaningful engagement

The Institute is working to advance this professional commitment and a greater shared understanding through our First Nations Advisory Working Group and Cultural Reference Panel.

The Working Group and Panel will scope, recommend and develop a range of actions that could be put in place to support and promote beneficial outcomes between First Nations peoples and the Institute including supporting the Institute to develop a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

The Working Group with support from the Panel will also provide guidance on the inclusive involvement of First Nations peoples in both Architectural education and the Institute’s services, programs, activities and governance. As well as any other issue or activity the Working Group, with advice from the Panel, identifies should be under consideration by the Institute.

As work by the Group and the Panel develops key information will be outlined on this webpage including opportunities for the broader membership to provide input to the activities being undertaken.

Statement of recognition

The Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday 22 July 2020 included a membership vote on a number of changes to the Constitution of the Institute including the addition of a ‘Statement of Recognition’.

The First Nations Advisory Working Group and Cultural Reference Panel developed the Statement of Recognition which was adopted following the membership vote, with 96% of members supporting the constitutional changes.

The Statement of Recognition reads:

The Australian Institute of Architects recognises the unceded sovereign lands and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of these lands and waters.

This recognition generates acknowledgement and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Countries, Cultures and Communities, and their ways of being, knowing and doing.

Caring for Country practices including architecture and place shaping have existed on this continent since time immemorial.

The Institute recognises a professional commitment to engage and act meaningfully through reciprocal partnership and relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Together we will support and develop the emergence of new possibilities for our shared future.

2020 Kevin Borland Award for Small Project Architecture | In Absence | Edition Office and Yhonnie Scarce | Victoria | Photographer: Ben Hosking
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The Institute

The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.

We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.

We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.

© Australian Institute of Architects

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