Spatial Designer and Connecting with Country Consultancy

Cultural Design Advisor in Architecture and the Built Environment

Country as the author, guide and facilitator of Knowledge.

Spatial Design

Designing with Country as a Indigenous Spatial Designer.

Indigenous spatial design is a holistic approach that places "Country" at the center of knowing, doing, and being, emphasizing the deep interconnection between people, culture, and the environment. This design philosophy seeks to restore authenticity to Australian culture by integrating Indigenous perspectives, knowledge systems, and practices into the built environment. By engaging in co-design approaches with architects and landscape designers, Indigenous spatial design fosters collaborative relationships that respect the cultural significance of place and spiritual space, promote sustainability, and ensure that the unique stories and values of Indigenous communities are woven into the fabric of urban and rural spaces. This approach not only revitalises cultural heritage but also contributes to a deeper understanding of place, identity, and belonging within the Australian landscape.

Connecting with County through engaging with a spatial design expert.

As a spatial designer, I collaborate with both small and large architectural practices to support the meaningful engagement with Country in the design process. My role involves integrating Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems into architectural projects, ensuring that the design respects and reflects the cultural significance of the land.

In my work, I facilitate workshops with local Indigenous community members, and Indigenous knowledge holders. These engagements help to identify the unique stories, values, and connections that the local community wishes to express. Additionally, I provide guidance on how to incorporate sustainable practices that respect Country and its resources. This includes selecting materials that are environmentally friendly and culturally relevant, as well as designing spaces that promote healing and connection to nature.

Through my work, I aim to bridge the gap between contemporary architectural practices and Indigenous cultural principles, resulting in designs that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also deeply meaningful.

How you can learn about engaging with Country

Participate in inhouse workshops to learn about how Indigenous Knowledges can guide architectural design. These custom designed workshops involve activities and discussions aimed at fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Indigenous cultures, histories, and relationships with Country. Topics covered include:

1. Cultural Awareness - learning about the significance of Country, its history, and the cultural protocols associated with engaging and interacting with Indigenous communities.

2. Traditional Knowledge- exploring traditional ecological knowledge, stories, and practices that have sustained Indigenous communities for generations and how these practices can enhance the built environment.

3. Collaborative Design- Exploring how to integrate cultural insights and values into design processes through co-design principles.

These workshops are led by Indigenous experts who hold deep knowledge and understanding of their traditions and can share their insights with respect and authenticity.

Designing with Country

Cultural advisor, consultant and spatial designer

for initiating Country Planning in the built environment.

Belanjee is a spatial Country-Centred designer. Through her roles as a researcher, educator, and cultural advisor, she channels Country, culture, and community into architectural spaces. Her diverse clientele ranges from state and local government bodies to museums, galleries, architects, planners, heritage, and engineering firms.

Her research focuses on exploring Indigeneity within the built environment, emphasising Indigenous spatial knowledge and cultural practices. Moreover, her work centers on examining the sustainability of Indigenous cultures through a spatial perspective.

All consultancy utilises Indigenous methodologies of fluidity and reciprocity to promote a relational mode of being and doing within a living, 'storied' world. It emphasises the lived experience and psychological realities of cultural and spiritual spaces within embodied multi-sensory experiences by attuning to the physical and spiritual energies of the patterns of place.

These Country-guided practice includes three basic principles that overlap and intertwine with each other:

(1) Country-guided sensory knowledge – embodied synaesthesia

(2) Country-guided relational knowledge –kinship relationships

(3) Country-guided storied knowledge – place- based narratives of a storied world.

Objectives

To broaden the frame of reference by grounding people in Country through design elements relating to cultural place and spiritual space in both landscape and buildings.
Deliver innovative building and landscape works that maintain the spirit of place and a connection to Country.
To achieve authentic representation of Aboriginal knowledge in the built environment, where Aboriginal stakeholders are active participants and their voices central in the design process.
To recreate the memory of place, through developing a distinctive design ethos that uses contemporary design practice (architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design) to reveal and extend Aboriginal knowledge systems and cultural practices in the built environment.
To broaden design perspectives and thinking by continuously engaging with Dharug stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
To utilise Indigenous Australian local perspectives and Knowledge Systems in design practice that connect people to the physically, emotionally, sensory and spiritually to the natural external environment and internal building – including considerations to the needs of the users.

Works

Country guided practices in designing with Country

Building Designs

Indigenous architecture often embodies sustainable principles, utilizing renewable resources and minimizing environmental impact. This includes practices like using natural ventilation, harvesting rainwater, and building with locally available materials.

Park Designs

Indigenous park designs aim to create spaces that not only offer recreational opportunities but also serve as places of cultural expression, education, and connection to nature. These designs honor indigenous traditions, foster understanding and appreciation among diverse populations, and contribute to the preservation and celebration of indigenous cultures within public spaces.

Urban Planning

Indigenous urban planning involves the application of indigenous knowledge, values, and perspectives to the design and development of urban spaces and communities. It encompasses the integration of traditional practices, cultural values, and sustainability principles into the planning and management of urban areas where indigenous populations reside.

Pravilion

Indigenous pavilions play a crucial role in preserving, promoting, and sharing indigenous cultures with a wider audience, fostering cross-cultural understanding, respect, and appreciation. They serve as important educational and cultural hubs, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the richness and diversity of indigenous heritage.

Playgrounds

Play areas designed with cultural sensitivity and respect for indigenous traditions, often incorporating elements that reflect the heritage, stories, and values of indigenous communities. Designed to provide a space where children can play, learn, and connect with their cultural heritage.

Shelters

Indigenous shelters are not just functional structures but also carry cultural significance, embodying traditional knowledge, beliefs, and practices . Designed to provide protection from the elements while maintaining a close connection to nature.