Cultural ownership & design.
How do designers evolve culturally appropriate design practices?
The theory part of this task references Environments, Messages and Object designs. The practical part is in the field of Message design.
In this super exciting area of study, students get the opportunity to go below the surface and investigate the power of Indigenous Knowledge: the power behind 60,000 years of living in one with the forces of nature. First World Problems? Forget about that. The First Australians’ continuous, living cultures stretch beyond the last Ice Age when sea levels were 140 metres below present, and Tasmania was part of the mainland. In this section, we learn about ownership and how projects can legally, ethically, and culturally appropriately incorporate Indigenous Knowledge into designs. Then, we examine iconography's role as an effective visual communication tool. This is a hybrid-theory-practical Area of Study.
outcome
What students need to do
ON COMPLETION OF THIS UNIT THE STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO
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apply culturally appropriate design practices and understand the designer’s ethical and legal responsibilities when designing personal iconography.
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024 – 28 p. 29 )
Introduction
What are culturally appropriate design practices?
Indigenous motifs and styles are distinctive features of Australia’s visual identity. However, just as any image is protected by copyright, the use of indigenous visual language is guarded by legal, ethical, and cultural rules and restrictions. In this section of the course, students learn about the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, their unique and regional art and image-making styles and protocols for the use of indigenous knowledge in and beyond their original settings.
What is iconography?
Iconography is the study and interpretation of visual signs. It includes the analysis of the meaning, history, and cultural context of images and symbols. Iconography is used in art history, anthropology, and religious studies. Examples of iconography include the use of religious symbols in art, the study of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the analysis of political propaganda. For us in VCD, iconography is the practice of making icons and analysing the role of visual language used in icons.
Semiotics
The term ‘icon’ belongs to a field called semiotics. This is the study of communication with language. In this, ideas are transmitted between a sender and a receiver through signs used by the language. Languages include forms such as written, verbal, visual, physical and aural. In the study of semiotics, the means of communication is through devices known as signs. There are three kinds of signs: symbol, index and icon. Each conveys information in different ways.
The design of personal iconography in Target Learning VCD refers to icons that visually represent characteristics, interests or other aspects of a person or a student.
Symbol
A symbol is a visual with an arbitrary appearance that represents a concept through acquired association. Here, we should watch out for something. Placed near a train line, we know to be careful of approaching trains.
Index
An index indicates the presence of something. A line of smoke wafting into the distance above a train line tells us that a train has just passed.
Icon
An icon is a sign that looks like the thing it is representing. Icons are simplified, often stylised pictures of something. This sign says train because it looks like one.
case studIES
Acknowledgement Icons
From the project page:
“Over a three-year period we worked with Catholic Education-Diocese of Cairns to create a beautiful collaborative story of their ongoing Reconciliation Journey.
Our process
Integral to the entire design process of crafting a distinctive narrative for their RAP design was the development of a design meant to evolve and grow throughout their Reconciliation journey. Given the diverse group of schools spread across the Far North Queensland region, a crucial aspect of the design process was creating something that would unify each school and foster collaboration among the young students. Commencing the initial design phase, we crafted a unique master design narrating their journey. We then involved each school, enlisting students in the creation of an Acknowledgment icon tailored to their school, seamlessly integrating into the master design. Over the span of a year, these icons were developed by students from each school, which we then refined into graphical elements that seamlessly merged with the master design. The collaborative effort with thirty schools not only introduced them to their respective local communities but also wove a distinctive tale of Reconciliation. Through the eyes of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, each school contributed to a unique and collaborative design piece, encapsulating the essence of their collective journey.
Creating unique identities
The Acknowledgment icon for each school within the Diocese of Cairns was collaboratively crafted by young individuals and is now integrated with the school emblem. This serves as a constant reminder of each school’s dedication to Reconciliation and its inherent ties to the surrounding lands. These icons are versatile, suitable for use during celebratory occasions like NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week, extending to become a part of everyday materials within the school. Each icon is reproduced in a monochromatic state, ensuring it complements rather than overwhelms the school’s logo. In instances where the icon is not used alongside the school’s logo, it adopts the school’s colour palette, as illustrated in the examples. Despite being a colossal design project, our proposal to engage young people from each school forged an enduring connection to the communities, narrating an authentic journey of Reconciliation that instils a sense of pride in everyone involved.”
https://ingeousstudios.com/portfolio-item/catholic-education-cairns/
An Australian Culinary Journey
Image reproduced with permission from Alison Page and Breville.
An Aboriginal Culinary Journey™. Meet the innovative team behind the collection. Breville Australia.
NMA & Breville’s ‘An Aboriginal Culinary Journey’ with Alison Page & Adj. Professor Margo Neale
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Ownership, IP & copyright
In this section, students will explore various hidden issues affecting professional design practice in Australia. We will touch on legal obligations and ethical responsibilities designers must be fully aware of in various commercial design practice employment settings.
key knowledge
What we will learn about
key knowledge points for this outcome
- ethical and legal responsibilities impacting the work of the designer, such as issues of ownership and intellectual property
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 29)
Ethical and legal responsibilities
In Australia, the ethical and legal responsibilities impacting the work of designers, particularly concerning ownership and intellectual property (IP), are governed by various laws and professional codes of conduct.
In the first instance, all designers, both indigenous and non-indigenous, and working in each field of design, must respect and adhere to Australian IP laws, which include copyright, trademarks, and patents. This means respecting the rights of others and not infringing on existing IP protections when creating designs. Students can find out more about copyright for students here.
Designers also have an ethical duty to ensure that the work they create is original and, where or when they use components of others’ designs to attribute any sources. Plagiarism undermines trust within the design community and can lead to legal consequences. Proper research and acknowledgment of sources are essential. In addition, in the commercial world, designers must ensure they have the appropriate licenses or permissions for any third-party elements used in their work, such as stock images or fonts. Ignoring licensing agreements can result in legal liabilities.
There are many components to professional designs. Each has different rules regarding ownership of intellectual property (IP). The copyright for images is owned by the photographer or artist. Designers must make or shoot their own images or licence (buy) them from image stock libraries. There are different kinds of licences for different uses of images.
The copyright for typefaces belongs to their producers. Designers must buy and use licensed versions of typefaces. Adobe licences their typefaces for commercial work.
Copyright for a layout of the design resides with the designer or studio.
The use of indigenous images is protected by separate rules and protocols. Images made by indigenous people are known as Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property or Indigenous Knowledge. They are part of Aboriginal culture and history and their use belongs to elders from the artists’ communities.
Artists and designers
A point of difference between artists and designers rests in the ownership of their work and the resulting copyright, the right to reproduce it. When artists work for themselves, their work is automatically protected by copyright. This right is usually retained, even when the work is sold to a gallery or private collector. However, as designers are almost always in a relationship with a client or employer, ownership of their design work, including copyright, is determined by their contract. When working freelance or on contract, clear agreements outlining ownership rights should be established with clients. Typically, the client owns the final design and the copyright, but contracts should specify this and may include provisions for the designer to retain certain usage rights for self-promotion. Some contracts may include use and duration clauses for which the designer licences their work.
By contrast, designers working ‘in-house’ like a designer who works for Ford or in a design studio, like a designer working for Christian Dior, for example, will not have any claim to their designs or the copyright. This will be retained by the company that employed them.
Designers are in a special and privileged position, as they often have access to confidential information about their clients' businesses. They are legally and ethically obliged to maintain confidentiality and not disclose any information about the client without proper authorisation.
Designers may also be subject to professional codes of conduct set by organisations such as the Design Institute of Australia (DIA). These codes often include guidelines on ethical responsibilities to the community, client, and other designers. Designers are responsible for considering their work's environmental and social impacts. This may involve using sustainable materials and production processes and designing inclusively to ensure accessibility for all users. Designers should be aware of Australian consumer laws protecting consumers from misleading or deceptive conduct. This includes ensuring that advertising or promotional materials accurately represent the products or services offered.
Designers in Australia must navigate a framework of laws, regulations, and ethical principles to ensure they operate responsibly and ethically. Clear communication, legal agreements, and a commitment to professional standards are essential for success.
Ways designers are employed
There are many ways artists and designers work. These differences affect their creative opportunities, job security (ongoing employment) and access to their copyright. Artists working in their own personal studios, making artworks for their own personal expression, retain the copyright for their work. They have no job security. A designer working independently on different jobs for different clients, called freelance, is in a position to negotiate the terms of copyright for the designs they produce. They have low to moderate job security.
Designers working in a design or architecture studio enjoy working on different jobs for different clients, but the copyright for the work they generate is passed on to the studio. They have moderate to good job security. Designers working in-house work on the same kinds of jobs for the same client. The company they work for retains the copyright for the designs they make. They generally have the best job security.
task
Show I know ...
1.1 Ownership of creative work
Compare differences between ownership of copyright between artists and designers.
1.2 IP and Copyright
Explain the terms Intellectual Property and Copyright. Identify two legal obligations of commercial designers in relation to IP and copyright.
1.3 Ethical obligations
Identify and explain two ethical obligations of commercial designers.
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Indigenous knowledge (IK)
As we progress into the world of design, we become aware of the powerful bank of cultural, historical, social and geographical knowledge of Australia’s first designers: Indigenous Australians. Notions of ownership, cultural significance, purpose, time and place are explored with sensitivity as indigenous and non-indigenous students seek to learn about how Indigenous Knowledge can be used in designs.
key knowledge
What we will learn about
key knowledge points for this outcome
- protocols for the creation and commercial use of Indigenous knowledge in design, including representations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture
- culturally appropriate design practices for the creation of personal iconography
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 29)
Indigenous Art styles
The art and design of our First Australians vary immensely according to the region in which they were made. Factors such as climate, geography, culture, purpose, knowledge, rites and external influences affect how visual language expresses ideas in artworks and creates functional and celebratory artefacts. The art styles from across the Australian mainland and its islands are as diverse as those from any continent, comprised of distinctly different nations. Although ‘dot painting’ might be the first style that comes to mind when considering indigenous art because it is an internationally famous style, Western Desert Painting is only one indigenous painting style. As we will discover, learning about Indigenous Knowledge in culturally appropriate ways means acknowledging that the appropriate way to use this knowledge is by understanding the local and regional context, including styles, materials, methods and purpose belonging to the people and place in which it is to be used. Explore several indigenous art and design styles by clicking the links below.
Ancient Rock Art, Queensland and Northern Territory
Rock paintings in the North of Australia contain some of the world’s oldest known records of human existence. They depict human and animal life and establish many pictorial conventions for recording stories, places and people.
Bark painting, Northern Territory
Northern Territory painting is often characterised by flattened representations of animals, sometimes revealing internal organs or contents of their stomachs. Earlier examples are painted on bark from local trees and use patterns of intricate cross-hatched, straight lines painted in ochres (natural pigments made from ground stones, charcoal and clay).
In Victoria cross-hatching, line-work and wood-burning feature on paintings and objects. Compositions include the arrangement of subjects distributed across a picture plane with sparse use of scale, overlap to create depth.
Hermannsburg School, Central Australia
As Europeans spread inland so did Western painting styles. Albert Namatjira found the transparent wash of watercolour perfect for depicting the luminescence of Central Australian light on the hills, plains and trees in his majestic landscapes.
Dot Painting, Central Australian Desert
A teacher from Sydney introduced Western painting methods to the Papunya community in the Central Australian desert. The paintings’ true and secret cultural meanings were concealed by encoding messages in symbols that were obscured by dots.
Indigenous Australian artists frequently depict personal and cultural experiences such as dispossession and identity, using contemporary art-making techniques. They often appropriate and juxtapose traditional Aboriginal motifs with Western iconography.
Art and design, Torres Strait Islands
The art and design of the Northern Australian islands often represent marine motifs on textiles. Methods such as batik are informed by and demonstrate the island’s proximity to the Southern Asian islands of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Pandanus weaving, Northern Territory
Women from Northern Australia made decorative and functional bowls by weaving fine strips of leaves taken from Pandanus plants. They are then dyed using natural dyes and woven into durable sculptural and functional forms.
Who owns indigenous knowledge?
Images, designs and artworks made by aboriginal people are components of Indigenous Knowledge. The copyright for using Indigenous Knowledge belongs to Indigenous people and their traditional knowledge holders.
A quick search for aboriginal tea towel 1970s reveals hundreds of examples of disrespectful, unethical cultural appropriation.
Understanding indigenous cultural intellectual property (icip)
For around two centuries, images of aboriginal people and their designs were taken and used by non-indigenous designers and businesses without concern for the owners of such Indigenous Knowledge. This opportunist practice occurred within a context underpinned by racist policies such as the ‘White Australia Policy’ (1901) that aimed to restrict the number of non-white immigrants to Australia. Such was the disrespect for our First Australians that Australia established and institutionalised apartheid before it was introduced in South Africa in 1948. During this period, there was sanctioned segregation, exclusion, fewer rights and suppression for indigenous Australians. It was not until 1967 that Aboriginal Australians were counted as Australian citizens.
In the early 2000s, a wave of post-colonial change, perhaps nurtured by the world’s focus on creating a more inclusive society, saw governments begin to legislate for multicultural citizenship. Acts such as The Multicultural Victoria Act (2011) provided a context for a renewed effort towards reconciliation with the First Australians. Similarly, the world’s indigenous peoples, including those of the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, began to work together to draw attention to the theft and cultural appropriation of Indigenous Knowledge.
Perspective shifting
Understanding the concept of Indigenous Knowledge and culturally appropriate representations of Aboriginal culture requires non-indigenous people to engage in bit of perspective shifting. Target Learning recommends we consider the following to notions.
The first is that Australian Aboriginal histories and cultures are not one but are extremely diverse, emanating from hundreds of nations or language groups located from the top of the Torres Strait Islands above Cape York in Queensland to the bottom of Tasmania and from the farthest western point in Western Australia, through the myriad deserts of The Centre to Cape Byron in New South Wales. Each has its own specific geography, climate, lore and culture.
The second is that Indigenous Knowledge is not owned in the same way as IP is, in Anglo-European society. Indigenous Knowledge and depictions of their cultures are owned collectively by the communities in which they exist. Their use is controlled by select elders who are responsible for being traditional knowledge holders. Furthermore, indigenous Knowledge can be community and gender-specific. Just as Western Church or football club lore is intended differently for different members of society, with some participants sharing understandings and others excluded from knowledge, Indigenous Knowledge is intended for specific cultural purposes and audiences and is restricted for others. For example, the dot painting of the Western Central Desert region contains secret coded messages about life intended for men. The meanings cannot be shared with women or non-indigenous people.
With these two concepts in mind, we can examine ways in which Indigenous Knowledge can be incorporated into commercial, non-indigenous design projects.
Blak Design Matters Branding
The Blak Design Matters brand was created in 2018 for the Blak Design Matters exhibition. The exhibition showcased works created by First Nations designers across different design disciplines and travelled to various locations nationwide. The inaugural exhibition was held at the Koorie Heritage Trust located within Federation Square, situated along the Birrarung (Yarra) river in Melbourne.
Inspired by traditional Aboriginal cultural expressions of the South-eastern Australian region, the design is juxtaposed with the fractal shapes that form Federation Square’s unique architecture, creating a contemporary design style to represent Blak Design Matters.
Created by Marcus Lee, © Marcus Lee Design Pty Ltd. Reproduced with permission from Marcus Lee Design Pty Ltd.
International Indigenous Design Charter
The ‘International Indigenous Design Charter’ was published in 2018. Its authors, Dr Russell Kennedy, Dr Meghan Kelly, Mr Jefa Greenaway and Prof. Brian Martin, proposed a set of future-focused protocols where Indigenous Knowledge could be used in projects in ways that benefit its owners. These are;
1 Indigenous led
Ensure Indigenous stakeholders oversee creative development and the design process.
2 Self-determined
Respect the rights of Indigenous peoples to determine the application of traditional knowledge and representation of their culture in design practice.
(In practice, these two principles involve designers seeking out traditional knowledge holders from the communities in which they are working. Designers, even indigenous designers, are mindful that each separate Country has different knowledge holders. Not all elders may speak for all knowledge. This may be a multi-layered process).
3 Community specific
Ensure respect for the diversity of Indigenous culture by acknowledging and following regional cultural understandings. In practice ...
4 Deep listening
Ensure respectful, culturally specific, personal engagement behaviours for effective communication and courteous interaction. Make sure to be inclusive and ensure that recognised custodians are actively involved and consulted.
(In practice, Deep listening means sitting down with representatives from Community and hearing their points of view. Deep listening is listening to what is said, and what is not said. Building relationships with people takes time and the development of trust. Relationships are essential for effective, empowering collaboration).
5 Indigenous knowledge
Acknowledge and respect the rich cultural history of Indigenous knowledge including designs, stories, sustainability and land management, with the understanding that ownership of knowledge must remain with the Indigenous custodians.
(In practice, non-indigenous designers understand that Indigenous knowledge loaned to them must be used with care and respect, acknowledging that where permission is granted for its use, it is used in ways that it is intended. Gaining permission to use Indigenous knowledge does not constitute acquiring ownership).
6 Shared knowledge
(Collaboration, co-creation, procurement)
Cultivate respectful, culturally specific, personal engagement behaviours for effective communication. This involves courteous interactions to encourage the transmission of shared knowledge by developing a cultural competency framework to remain aware of Indigenous cultural realities.
7 Shared benefits
Ensure Indigenous people share in the benefits from the use of their cultural knowledge, especially where it is being commercially applied.
8 Impact of design
Consider the reception and implication of all designs so that they protect the environment, are sustainable, and remain respectful of Indigenous cultures over deep time: past, present and future.
(In practice, designers have a moral obligation to ensure that Indigenous knowledge is used in ways that accord with Indigenous values).
9 Legal and moral
Demonstrate respect and honour cultural ownership and intellectual property rights, including moral rights, by obtaining appropriate permissions where required.
10 Charter implementation
Ask the question if there is an aspect to the project, in relation to any design brief, that may be improved with Indigenous knowledge. Use the Charter to safeguard Indigenous design integrity and to help build the cultural awareness of your clients and associated stakeholders.
By following these protocols, designers can create culturally appropriate and respectful designs that honour Indigenous knowledge and contribute positively to Indigenous communities. Collaboration, respect, and ethical considerations are essential for ensuring that Indigenous cultures are represented authentically and responsibly in design practices.
This section was informed by the ‘International Indigenous Design Charter’, 2018, Dr Russell Kennedy, Dr Meghan Kelly, Mr Jefa Greenaway and Prof. Brian Martin and ‘Create NSW: Aboriginal Arts & Culture Protocols’, 2021.
Jump to
Other documents
Aboriginal Arts & Culture Protocols
Australian Copyright Council Fact Sheet
But Can They Paint Dots?
Designing With Country
Protocols for Koorie Education In Schools
Where to from here?
The points below will become important when students do the Assessment Task for this Area of Study. They can engage with Indigenous and cultural knowledge at a school level by considering the following points:
- Study and understand differences in regional styles of indigenous art
- Visit a local indigenous cultural centre and hear an elder talk about indigenous art
- Know what country I live in, and I look at indigenous art from my country
- Understand the geography, significance and other characteristics of my country
- Identify personal connections with my country (homeland, present place of school or where I live)
- Understand the journey of my people (ancestors) that has brought me to this place
- Ensure I have not downloaded and copied any indigenous artworks in my designs
- Reference the origins of any styles in my own work
- Created my own original style that has evolved from my understanding of indigenous visual language yet is informed by signs, symbols and experiences from my country
“The preferred model for teaching Aboriginal perspectives is starting with local Koorie perspectives and continuing to regional, state, national and then international perspectives. This is published in the VAEAI Protocols for Koorie Education in Victorian Primary and Secondary Schools: We strongly recommend that as educators in early education settings and schools, you include Aboriginal Arts content, commencing with local Aboriginal perspectives, following the model above. By exploring Victorian art forms such as cross-hatching, line drawing and wood-burning, the use of textiles and design in the production of possum skin cloaks, tools, weapons, and jewellery, etc., and elements of history and identity expressed through art and design. By exploring the works and lives of Victorian artists past and present and inviting Victorian artists to support your program."
From page 3 of ‘But can they Paint Dots?’ Victorian Aboriginal Education Association, 2020. (https://www.vaeai.org.au/wp-content/uploads/delightful-downloads/2020/06/But-can-they-paint-dots.pdf)
Examples of contemporary indigenous artists and designers
Students can explore a range of awesome indigenous artists and designers by clicking the icons linked below:
Gilimbaa
Coolamon Creative
Balarinji
Ochre Dawn
LORE
Grace Lillian Lee
Bayila Creative
Marcus Lee Design
Nguluway DesignInc
TJUART (Architecture)
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Case study
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape. Cooper Scaife Architects
For over 30,000 years, the Gunditjmara people have lived and farmed the stony country that follows the path of the lava flow from Budj Bim down to Tyrendarra (near Portland). Their settlements were permanent, comprising sprawling villages of stone huts and elaborate aquaculture systems that pre-date Egypt's pyramids. The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site with outstanding universal value that “bears an exceptional testimony to the cultural traditions, knowledge, practices and ingenuity of the Gunditjmara”1.
CSA (architects) were engaged by Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation to develop tourism infrastructure to reveal these unique sites to the world. The project takes visitors into a privileged cultural experience of the Budj Bim landscape, led by the Gunditjmara people. It is intended to provide an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable means of caring for country and to ensure the continuation of Gunditjmara culture for future generations. The project spans five separate sites: Tyrendarra Recreation Reserve, Tyrendarra IPA, Kurtonitj, Tae Rak (Lake Condah) and Budj Bim National Park.
Acting as an interpretive device, the architecture helps to make the cultural landscape legible to non-indigenous eyes, to evoke imagination about traditional ways of life and to spark a desire to learn more. Views of important cultural features are framed at each site as the infrastructure leads the visitor through a curated experience of the landscape. The restrained material palette is designed to recede, allowing the natural and cultural landscape to emerge. The use of consistent materials at each of the five sites reinforces the message that the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is continuous, and that despite being physically fragmented by colonialisation, the sites remain connected.
- UNESCO, 2022, Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1577/
Tyrendarra Recreation Reserve
Raised boardwalks minimise disturbance of the soil, plants and the cultural artefacts at each site, allowing views of the ground below, while withstanding cultural burns and seasonal flooding. The path of the boardwalk is carefully designed to skirt around ancient fishing sites, dated to over 6000 years old. Viewing platforms are strategically located along the boardwalk and are shaped to act as apertures for observing fragile remnants of stone fishtraps. A circle of bluestone paving forms a threshold at each point where a boardwalk meets the ground plane.
The bridge at the Tyrendarra IPA acts as an entrance threshold to the site, allowing visitors to view Killara (Darlot Creek). This spring-fed creek runs through several Budj Bim sites and was a critical source of food and water all year round for Traditional Owners (Killara means ‘always there’).
Views of Tyrendarra Recreation Reserve show the sensitive connections between the new, the natural landscape and its stories. Architects: Daniel Cooper and Bianca Scaife. Photography: Tess Kelly. Reproduced with Permission from Cooper Scaife Architects.
Tae Rak (Lake Condah) Aquatic Centre
At Tae Rak, the axis of the jetty points back to the summit of Budj Bim, making a visual link between these sites. The Aquaculture Centre sits on the edge of the lake, providing panoramic views of the water and food source that was the key to Gunditjmara civilisation. Both the jetty and building are sited to accommodate the seasonal rise and fall of water levels, as well as withstand the threat of bushfire. The broad arches of the verandah frame views of the lake and provide a sense of enclosure that evokes traditional forms of dwelling. Charred timber cladding creates a protective exterior, alluding to the traditional use of fire in cultural burning and smoking kooyang (eel). The eaves and external walls around the wide verandah are lined with red gum, a common species found on Gunditjmara country, while ribbons of gold- painted steel work complete the tripartite colour scheme of black, red and gold.
Stepping into the interior of the Tasting Room, the visitor is enveloped by timber panelling routed with patterns from the Tae Rak Possum Skin Cloak, an significant indigenous artifact from the area. Architects: Daniel Cooper and Bianca Scaife. Photography: Tess Kelly. Reproduced with Permission from Cooper Scaife Architects.
Budj bim national park
A cantilevered bridge projects outwards from the bare cliff-face inviting visitors to leave their everyday experiences and imagine themselves soaring over a deep gorge like an eagle in a Dreaming. Architects: Daniel Cooper and Bianca Scaife. Photography: Tess Kelly. Reproduced with Permission from Cooper Scaife Architects.
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Other resources
Below are examples of successful and respectful collaborations between indigenous and non-indigenous designers. Click on the links to visit the projects. Also, read this great article in Indigenous Architecture from ArchitectureAU magazine.
North East Link Victoria: Melbourne
Victoria's North East Link project incorporates Indigenous knowledge through recognising and integrating cultural heritage and landscapes. The project involves extensive consultation with local Indigenous communities to ensure cultural values and sites are respected and preserved. This includes identifying and protecting significant cultural sites, artifacts, and landscapes. The project involves collaboration with Indigenous cultural heritage advisors and specialists to guide the design and planning process. Specific designers or firms often comprise a broader team that includes environmental and cultural heritage consultants. BKK Architects collaborated with Warren and Mahoney Architects, landscape architects TCL and Indigenous design experts Greenaway Architects and Greenshoot Consulting.
Links
Nagarara Place, RMIT University: Melbourne
Ngarara Place at RMIT University is a culturally significant site honouring Indigenous knowledge and traditions. It is designed as a space for reflection and learning, embodying the connection to land and water central to Indigenous culture. The design includes native plants, materials, and symbolic elements reflecting local Indigenous heritage and stories. This project was designed by Greenaway Architects, led by Jefa Greenaway, an Indigenous architect. The design process involved close consultation with Indigenous elders and community members to ensure cultural appropriateness and significance.
Links
https://www.greenawayarchitects.com.au/ngarara-place
https://architectureau.com/articles/indigenous-garden-opens-in-heart-of-melbourne/
Indigenous Learning Circles, Swinburne University: Melbourne
The Indigenous Learning Circles at Swinburne University are designed to provide inclusive and culturally sensitive spaces for learning and dialogue. They reflect Indigenous knowledge systems and pedagogies, emphasising the importance of storytelling, connection to land, and community. The university, Indigenous architects, and cultural advisors collaborated on designing and implementing the learning circles.
Links
Blak Design Matters: Melbourne
Blak Design Matters was an exhibition and initiative highlighting Indigenous designers' contributions in Australia. It showcased works integrating traditional knowledge, practices, and aesthetics with contemporary design. The significance lies in raising awareness and appreciation of Indigenous design perspectives and fostering dialogue about cultural identity and representation in the built environment. The initiative features various Indigenous designers across various fields, including architecture, fashion, interior design, and more. Key contributors and curators include Jefa Greenaway, Sibling Architecture and other prominent Indigenous designers who aim to promote and celebrate Indigenous design excellence.
Links
https://siblingarchitecture.com/projects/blak-design-matters/
The Barangaroo Reserve: Sydney, Australia
Barangaroo Reserve is a significant urban renewal project in Sydney that involved collaboration with the Indigenous Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. The design process included consultations with Gadigal elders and community members to ensure the preservation of cultural heritage and the integration of Indigenous perspectives into the park's design. Indigenous plants, materials, and storytelling elements were incorporated into the landscape design, reflecting the site's cultural significance. The reserve was designed by PWP Landscape Architecture and Australian firm Johnson Pilton Walker.
Links
The Yagan Square: Perth, Australia
Yagan Square is a major public space in Perth, Western Australia, named after an Indigenous leader of the Noongar people. The design of Yagan Square involved extensive consultation with Noongar elders and community representatives to ensure the inclusion of Indigenous cultural elements and storytelling. The square features public artworks, including Noongar sculptures and designs, as well as spaces for cultural performances and events celebrating Noongar culture and heritage. The square was designed by Lyon Architecture.
Links
https://www.lyonsarch.com.au/project/yagan-square/
https://visitperth.com/see-and-do/public-spaces/venues/yagan-square
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Indigenous Knowledge
task
Show I know ...
2.1 Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge into Design
2.2 Find out more
Download and read the ‘International Indigenous Design Charter’, 2018, and ‘Create NSW: Aboriginal Arts & Culture Protocols’, 2021. Discuss them as a class.
2.3 What’s wrong here?
2.4 Getting it right
Review some of the examples of effective collaboration between indigenous and non-indigenous designers shown above. Choose one. Identify three ways the project demonstrated ethical and respectful collaboration and use of Indigenous Knowledge.
2.5 Lead a design team
Imagine your school has approached you to create a design using indigenous knowledge or representations of indigenous culture. Examples of designs could be an indigenous garden, a sports t-shirt or an online student dashboard featuring indigenous artwork. Write a five-step plan for your school to follow that would ensure the ethical and legal use of indigenous knowledge in the project.
2.6 Prepare for the assessment task
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Visual language of iconography
In this section, students explore one of the most effective communication tools: the icon. They learn how the Design Elements and Principles encode ideas simply and clearly. They learn and practice strategies for stylising forms and practice terminology for discussing and evaluating culturally appropriate design solutions.
key knowledge
What we will learn about
key knowledge points for this outcome
- characteristics and functions of design elements and principles
- methods and processes used to generate and present original design solutions
- terminology used to discuss and evaluate culturally appropriate design practices and solutions.
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 29)
CAUTION
Good to know
Knowledge principles
The assessment task that follows will ask students to complete two different jobs. One will be to demonstrate their knowledge of ‘culturally appropriate design practices including representations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge’ 1. Target Learning recommends ‘short-answer responses supported by visual references’ 1. The second job will be the ‘creation of personal iconography’ 1.
Although these tasks are connected by being sequential outcomes of one Area of Study, many schools will face a range of limitations in their capacity to arrange a collaboration with Indigenous elders should they wish to base personal iconography on Indigenous symbols or art styles. Target Learning recommends that non-indigenous students apply principles of Indigenous knowledge, such as a student’s relationship to story, country and people, without appropriating Indigenous cultural imagery. The following learning will consider iconography separately from Indigenous Knowledge.
(1. SD p31).
Introduction
There are eight Design Elements.
There are eight Design Principles and seven suggested Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception.
Conceptions of Good Design are ideas about what makes a design good.
Icons
Icons are constructions of Visual Language that communicate an idea or message quickly and clearly. Look at one of them. How long does it take you to understand the message? But then, if you put that message into English, how long does it take you to say it? Think about it—Visual Language is king! That’s why we love it.
Designers intentionally use selected Design Elements and Principles when creating icons. Remember the definition of ‘icon’ in the section on Semiotics above. Students will identify, describe and explore the use of the Design Elements and Principles in the tasks at the end of this section.
Example 1. (Image: Frenggo@shutterstock.com).
Example 2. (Image: Natykach Natalia@shutterstock.com).
Example 3. (Image: Huticon@shutterstock.com).
Example 4. (Image: Panuwach@shutterstock.com).
Stylisation
A significant characteristic of icons is their use of simplification and stylisation into geometric shapes. The drawing below shows how icons are constructed differently from the way we normally see objects or, indeed, how we would draw them realistically. In addition, when constructing icons, one needs to consider two additional elements. The first is how a range of icons can be constructed using a consistent style or set of rules, and the second is how icons can be placed together or overlapped if need be.
From realism to stylised shapes
Creating a consistent style
One of the most important and influential series of icons the world has seen. The AIGA Symbol Signs. Consider how the designers used the Design Elements and Principles to achieve consistency within this group of icons.
The AIGA and U.S. Department of Transportation Symbol Signs
‘This system of 50 symbol signs was designed for use at the crossroads of modern life: in airports and other transportation hubs and at large international events. Produced through a collaboration between AIGA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), they are an example of how public-minded designers can address a universal communication need.
Prior to this effort, … organisations had devised symbols to guide passengers and pedestrians through transportation facilities and other sites of international exchange. While effective individual symbols had been designed, there was no system of signs that communicated the required range of complex messages, addressed people of different ages and cultures and were clearly legible at a distance. A first set of 34 symbols was published in 1974, and received one of the first Presidential Design Awards; 16 more symbols were added in 1979.
AIGA Signs and Symbols Committee members: Thomas Geismar, Seymour Chwast, Rudolph de Harak, John Lees, Massimo Vignelli. Designers: Roger Cook and Don Shanosky’."
(Adapted from https://www.aiga.org/resources/symbol-signs Accessed 6 May 2024.)
Culturally appropriate icons
Designers are obliged to work in culturally appropriate and inclusive ways. Phone emojis are a great example of how icons can be made so that they can be adapted to represent people from different parts of the world and who identify in different ways. Consider the Woman Facepalming emoji in the video below.
task
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Refer to Examples 1 - 4 for Tasks 3.1 - 3.7
3.1 Identify function
Identify the theme and a possible function for each of the examples
3.2 Identify Design Elements
Identify all the Design Elements you can see in all of the examples.
3.3 Describe Design Elements
Identify and describe one dominant Design Element used in each design.
3.4 Explain Design Elements
Referring to one example, identify one dominant Design Element and explain how it supports the function you identified in Task 3.1.
3.5 Compare shape and form
Compare the way tone has been used differently in examples 1 and 2.
3.6 Compare figure-ground
Compare how the designers used the Design Elements differently to achieve figure-ground relationships in examples 3 and 4.
3.7 Good Design
Create three conceptions of Good Design that you think are super important for icons to function properly. Referring to the three conceptions you created, explain why one example communicates ideas most clearly.
3.8 Stylise an object
Take a familiar object, such as the hand wash pump above. Draw it from life or from your own photo. Make one realistic drawing of the object. Then, using manual or digital media, simplify it as much as possible without losing its identity.
3.9 Odd one out
Referring to one Design Element and one Design Principle, explain why one of the icons in the AIGA sign symbol set is an odd one out.
3.10 Consistent style
Referring to components of Visual Language, explain how the designers of the AIGA sign symbol set created a cohesive style of iconography.
3.11 Culturally appropriate design
Identify two social considerations and evaluate how the designers of mobile phone emojis addressed them.
3.12 Culturally inappropriate design
Identify one social consideration that was not addressed in the Woman Facepalming emoji. Suggest a way the designers could have addressed it.