Advocating the integration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

GroupGSA is proud to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples this NAIDOC week and beyond.

Here at GroupGSA we demonstrate active connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through the process ofdesigning environments and buildings that are informed by a Connection to Country approach.

We wholeheartedly advocate for the engagement and integration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consultants and creatives across the project lifecycle. And actively seek out opportunities to source Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander insights and inputs. We demonstrate active connections with these communities through the process of designing environments and buildings that are informed by a ‘Connection to Country’ approach for our clients and collaborators.

We have engaged and partnered with Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander consultants on many of our recent project, including but not limited to:

• Macquarie University, Walanga Muru Pavilion
• Jordan Springs Public School through the Department of Education
• Microsoft workplace
• Ausgrid (Lucy Simpson, Indigenous artist)
• VIC Health (Multicultural artists – some non-verbal)
• Eden Street, Arncliffe

Click on the project for more information.

While engaging with and showing respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and knowledge has been a feature of our work for many years, our reconciliation journey as a practice began in 2020 with the release of our “Designing with Country” policy.

Some of our efforts to date include:

• The launch of a 5-year Indigenous Scholarship Program in partnership with UTS
• An aligned paid Internship Program, offering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students of design to undertake a work placement in our studios.
• Development of a GSA policy “Designing with Country” in 2020, to promote how we should approach Designing with Country, in projects and within our practice. This included the creation of case studies of previous GSA projects that engaged with First Nations knowledge, cultures and peoples.
• Establishing working relationships with First Nations design consultants via several projects.
• A commitment to undertaking a desktop analysis of Country at the commencement of every project: We “start from Country and go from there.”

We look forward to reflecting on and refocusing our approach to reconciliation throughout our Design as we celebrate NAIDOC Week 2023.