Indigenous Design & Cultural Collaboration – Designing with Country In 2025

Far from a ‘static’ practice, Indigenous design is in a constant state of adaptation and change. Artists are continuously evolving the styles and mediums with which they choose to tell their stories, continue their traditions and provide, financially, for their families and communities.

At the same time, over recent years, the broader community’s acceptance and appreciation of Indigenous design has also grown. For example, while only 10 years ago commercial products featuring Indigenous artists were virtually non-existent, today they are commonplace.

This session of CPD Live looks at ‘Designing with Country’, a notion that has also recently entered the mainstream, and at the power of ethical, respectful collaborations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners.

Referencing their own work to illustrate their points, our panel (of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous speakers) explain what ‘Designing with Country’ means to them; identify the various (practical, ethical, cultural and legal) considerations relevant to developing collaborative projects and products with Indigenous people; and highlight the role of initiatives like the ‘Australian Indigenous Design Charter’ and the ‘Indigenous Art Code’ in this context.

They discuss the various ways in which architects and designers of all backgrounds can participate in such work, and in so doing, contribute to a broader and uniquely ‘Australian’ contemporary design language.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this presentation, you should be able to:

•   Define the term ‘Designing with Country’

•   Outline the importance of communication and collaboration when undertaking projects of this type

•   Display an understanding of the significance of Designing with Country to Indigenous peoples

•   Identify the practical, ethical, cultural and legal considerations involved when working on projects of this type

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT PC3, PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT PC15, PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN PC 17, PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN PC 27)

Speakers

Jamie Wanless, Founder and Design Director, Generate Interiors

Jamie Wanless is a proud Kamilaroi man with over 25 years’ experience in commercial interior design. Founder and Design Director of Generate Interiors – an Indigenous-owned design consultancy specialising in commercial and workplace design – Jamie is a curios and passionate designer and works closely with his clients to understand their business, people and culture. Before founding Generate Interiors Jamie worked for several high-profile architecture and design studios and throughout his career has delivered successful projects for a range of major corporate and government clients. Jamie holds a Bachelor of Design Degree from UNSW and is a member of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA).

Laetitia Prunetti (left) and Jessica Booth (right) , Co Founders, Willie Weston

Established in Naarm in 2015 by two non-Indigenous art curators, Willie Weston is the first and only textile brand working exclusively with Australian First Nations artists to create high performance products for commercial, government and education settings. Through carefully selected partnerships, Willie Weston also extends markets for artists’ work into aligned sectors, such as acoustics and flooring. 

Prior to starting Willie Weston, co-founders Jessica Booth and Laetitia Prunetti led varied careers in the arts. Jessica specialised in First Nations art, working with non-profit organisations and universities in the Northern Territory and Melbourne, whilst Laetitia worked with Heide Museum of Modern Art and co-directed the Melbourne Art Fair. With a deep knowledge of art and ethical partnerships, they built Willie Weston as a way to champion First Nations artists, to facilitate commercial opportunities for their work, and to celebrate First Nations art, culture and story-telling in our built environments.