Blight Rayner is in the process of developing our Reconciliation Action Plan to formalise our commitment to strengthening relationships between First Nations and non-Indigenous peoples, and making change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

We have a particular interest in embedding First Nations Narratives into our urban design and architectural practice through increasing our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures and histories. We want our whole staff to consider the site and context of a project from First Nations perspectives before taking any design actions, derived from both research and engagement with relevant elders and advisors such as Noel Niddrie (Winangali) who has assisted the office with the development of our approach towards reconciliation. From this process, we hope to create a different design response than would have accrued in the past, one which tangibly includes and expresses First Nations Culture and Narratives.

We have engaged the artist Jody Rallah to work with us on our journey. Jody is a yuggera-yugggerabul and biri-bindal artist from Meeanjin/Brisbane. Jody creates ‘knowledge vessels’ using various mediums and practices across object making and painting, sculptural installation, facade and thoroughfares, soundscape, and collaborative intergenerational approaches, to forefront deep knowledge, narratives, and teachings embedded in place. She explores how the experience of place and materiality can affect relationships between people, and place throughout time.

Jody will create a specific artwork for our office which will accompany our already large collection of First Nations artworks, some of which are by artists with whom we have worked on our projects. Being surrounded by these works around the office is a constant inspiration for our design work.