Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (AFSE) is an Indigenous-led social change fellowship program based at University of Melbourne. JCB was appointed as the Lead Indigenous Architect to design an inspiring and culturally safe space for staff and visitors, and a welcoming place for Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders from Australia and the Pacific to collaborate. Located on level 5 of Building 168 within the UoM New Student Precinct, the existing fit-out was highly cellular, characterised by enclosed offices and meeting rooms, high windowsills and poor visual permeability and natural daylight. The design incorporates a Welcome space, Knowledge room, Kitchen, amenities, open and enclosed offices, and an Elders’ Lounge. The layout and adjacency of spaces was functionally and culturally informed. Through engagement with the client, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung, Boon Wurrung and Bunurong, the design team developed a cultural brief based on AFSE’s values, including respecting and connecting to the Country of the site; allowing visiting Indigenous peoples to connect to the Country they come from; challenging the socio-economic and political underpinnings of inequity. The design process focused on drawing Country into the building, evoking the creek line, woodland and outcrop that once lay below. This was achieved through research into the identity of Country prior to colonisation and the cultural practices that connect to place.
The Welcome space incorporates a contemporary interpretation of message sticks as a ceremonial space for connection. Comprising 360 message sticks in three concentric circles, each stick represents the degree of a circle. When fellows, staff and visitors are inducted into the fellowship program, they locate their Country on a map placed at the circle’s centre and adorn the corresponding message stick with a woven sleeve. Over time, the collection of woven sleeves will allow those on site to
reconnect with where they are and where they’re from. Agency Projects was commissioned to procure the installation and worked closely with Damien Wright and Indigenous artists from across Australia to bring the work to life. Each message stick comes from a single messmate tree that blew down in a storm on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Damien worked with Curly Timbers to select and remove the tree in a way that minimised harm to Country. The tree was milled onsite before making the journey to Melbourne to be carefully crafted into 360 Message sticks. In the spirit of a message stick, 60 were sent across the Country to be carved and marked by many hands.