Indigenous Engagement Foundations | Part 1
Live webinar (available on-demand following the live session)
"Design with Country is not a design phase - it is a project delivery approach that spans the entire lifecycle of a project."
1pm, AEST
Tuesday, 11 August 2026
1 Formal CPD Points
1pm – Melbourne, Sydney
12:30pm – Adelaide, Darwin
11am – Perth
Part 1 | designing with country from project inception
Using the HOTA Theatre on the Gold Coast as a case study, this session explores how Design with Country can be embedded from the earliest stages of project planning, briefing and procurement. Participants will examine how meaningful collaboration with First Nations knowledge was embedded in the project's vision, brief, governance and design direction. The session aims to demonstrate how cultural knowledge should be understood before design solutions are developed. The session will also explore approaches, stakeholder relationships and project structures that enable cultural aspirations to become flexible project drivers rather than project constraints.
NSCA 2021 Performance Criteria
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
PC3: Apply
principles of project planning, considering implications for Country,
environmental sustainability, communities, stakeholders and project costs.
PC7: Apply
and follow processes for clear and consistent communication with clients and
relevant stakeholders throughout the project, including obtaining approvals
from clients and stakeholders.
PC8: Be
able to implement culturally responsive and meaningful engagement processes
that respect the important of Country and reciprocal relationships with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples across architectural services.
PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
PC17: Have
an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' aspirations
to care for Country and how these inform architectural design.
PC27: Understand
how to embed the knowledge, worldviews and perspectives of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Peoples, shared through engagement processes, into the
conceptual design in a meaningful, respectful and appropriate way.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Explain how Design with Country principles can be embedded at project inception.
- Evaluate methods for incorporating First Nations cultural knowledge, values and aspirations into project briefs to create meaningful, project-specific outcomes.
- Assess procurement and governance approaches that support cultural objectives while responding to project budget, program and delivery constraints.
- Recognise the importance of establishing long-term relationships with First Nations collaborators from the earliest stages of project development.
- Understand how early engagement creates opportunities for cultural outcomes that influence the entire project rather than isolated design elements.
Speakers
Aaron Poupard | ARM Architecture
Aaron is a Principal at ARM Architecture with extensive experience delivering some of the practice’s most complex and high-profile projects. He is known for his ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholder and user groups, carefully balancing competing priorities to achieve thoughtful, well-resolved design outcomes.
As both a concept and narrative lead, Aaron plays a key role in shaping the design direction of projects from inception through to delivery. He ensures that strong architectural ideas are maintained and translated through all stages, carefully balancing stakeholder objectives, design excellence, and construction realities to achieve outcomes that are both ambitious and deliverable.
Most of Aaron’s work has been in public architecture, where building and investing in cultural capital is central to the brief. His projects reflect a strong understanding of the civic role of architecture and the responsibility to create enduring, meaningful places for communities and their relationship to Country.
With strong capabilities across design and project delivery, Aaron brings a deep understanding of construction to his work. He has led the delivery of significant heritage projects, including several world-class theatres, where precision, sensitivity, and technical expertise are critical.
Shannon Best | Yugambeh Museum, Language and Heritage Research Centre
Shannon Best is an Aboriginal cultural engagement specialist and General Manager of the Yugambeh Museum, Language and Heritage Research Centre in Southeast Queensland. A Kombumerri man through his grandmother and Mununjali through his grandfather, Shannon has extensive experience working with all levels of government, the arts, and community to protect and promote Aboriginal culture, heritage, and language. He is the author of Indigenous Rules of Engagement, a practical guide to respectful collaboration with Aboriginal communities. Shannon’s work focuses on ensuring Traditional Owner voices are central to decision-making, embedding cultural protocols, and fostering meaningful, long-term relationships
Price
Members: $20
Student members: FREE
Non-members: $120
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Generally, the Institute will not agree to a refund if the request is received less than 14 days before the event starts, unless otherwise stated in the cancellations and refunds policy.