It’s a passion of mine to explore how my skills and experience in planning and place-making can better integrate the knowledge and narratives of Aboriginal communities and design professionals. I’ve been privileged to work with some amazing Indigenous colleagues over the years including Aunty Joy Murphy, Maree Clarke, Melissa Greenwood, Carol Vale, Uncle Brian Powell and the artist whose work is featured here – Matt Fellingham of Lumeno & Co.

Matt designed this artwork for our upcoming workshop in Sydney “Two Way Planning, Design and Place” a master class for urban planners, architects, designers and place managers. In the workshop we will explore collaborative ways of working and respectful integration of Indigenous perspectives and stories, to support planning and designing with Country.  Matt’s artwork reflects this collaborative approach and he kindly described my role as ‘creating and holding safe space for intercultural conversations’.  Working with Matt and Carol Vale, I am constantly challenged to question my own perspective on the relationship between the environmental, cultural, functional and spiritual dimensions of place. Thank you Matt for this beautiful image and all it represents about modelling new ways of knowing, being and doing!

If you are a planner or designer who share this passion, please get in touch, as we build a community of practice regarding inter-cultural planning and design.

© Matt Fellingham Lumeno & co