Our responsibility to Country
We are mindful of the importance of listening to Indigenous knowledge holders, supporting self-determination, and being considerate of First Nations community capacity. LatStudios refer to the International Indigenous Design Charter and the The Australian Indigenous Design Charter in complying with general protocols for working collaboratively and respectfully with Traditional Owners.
We have an ongoing collaborative relationship with Blaklash Creative, an Aboriginal owned design consultancy, led by Troy Casey. Blaklash work with us on an ongoing basis in our journey with Country and ‘Indigenising’ our practice.
Our team members have extensive experience working with Traditional Owners in the design and delivery of projects. Some recent relevant projects include:
Maryborough Hospital, 2024–ongoing
LatStudios worked with the Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung) to embed Djaara cultural values into the hospital landscape design. This was achieved by the project being shaped by a set of guiding principles, gained from meaningful indigenous engagement. These guiding principles included: relationships, healing Country, holistic health, agency, exchange, safety and respect.
Banksia Gardens, Broadmeadows, 2024–ongoing
LatStudios are working with Homes Victoria on the Banksia Gardens Master Plan, a project with the potential to significantly improve the lives of existing and new residents of Broadmeadows. Together with Homes Victoria, LatStudios are visualising and planning a future for Banksia Gardens that is informed by an intensive stakeholder engagement program. We are conducting meaningful engagement working with both Greenshoot Consulting and relevant Indigenous groups, and will build upon the passion and knowledge of our team members.
Dubbo Urban Release Project, 2024–ongoing
LatStudios were invited to a Walk on Country with local Indigenous stakeholders providing cultural insight to the land, water and the local surrounds. As we listened to the Elders, several key themes emerged that we could each reflect on, including the showcasing of Wiradjuri language within the project, Indigenous land management practices, First Nations guidance on vegetation, materials and artefacts and committing to collectively seek out ways for the local Indigenous peoples to see themselves within the project.
COUNTRY: AILA Festival of Landscape Architecture, 2022
LatStudios worked with Blaklash, Claudia Taborda from the Queensland University of Technology and First Nations representatives in the consultation, curation and delivery of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects’ festival, COUNTRY.
COUNTRY was an experiential and non-traditional gathering opportunity attended by over 350, predominantly non-Indigenous design practitioners from across Australia. All speakers at the gathering were First Nations guests from Australia and New Zealand. The COUNTRY gathering invited attendees to join with First Nations people to gain a deeper understanding of Country and have courage to take action.
Photography by Tai Bobongie.
