2022 AILA Festival of Landscape Architecture ‘Country’

Kaurna-Ngarrindjeri landscape architect and artist Paul Herzich on stage during conversation three

Source: Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), Blaklash

Last month, I had the absolute privilege to attend and speak at this years AILA Festival of Landscape Architecture ‘Country’ which was held on Meeanjin, aka Brisbane, Queensland Australia.

Over the course of the two days, with 400+ people in attendance. 27 other First Nations speakers and I came together to have six honest conversations about responsibility, reflection, and the systemic issues that face First Nations peoples in this country we call Australia, and a space where First Nations voices held precedent. There were no Power Point presentations, no phone or notepads. The festival program and structure was not the norm… The idea was to listen more than talk - as we have two ears and one mouth…

I was part of Conversation Three - Designing with Country Paradigms and Interdisciplinarity, which was about how acknowledging Country in spaces and places enables landscape architects (and other disciplines) to engage with inspiration, ideas, and opportunities directly from the Aboriginal people and communities who belong. As a practice, designing with Country contributes to improving inter-disciplinary understandings by creating spaces that connect with pre-colonial and modern Aboriginal cultures and reveal the multi-layered relationships between Aboriginal peoples and their Country.

The conversation brought together professionals alike to present their Country based philosophical and technical knowledge through projects and other achievements, all of which are cultural affirmations that exemplify the emerging modern architectural paradigm of Country.

As a result of this festival, new friendships, relationships and partnerships have been forged and existing growing stronger. The feedback since the festival has been words of gratitude, reflection, excitement and most of all an understanding of how we must come together to create a better future for all.