Caring for Country – Samantha Rich

Country-centred design suggests humans are merely one part of an evolving environmental community where land and nature are considered equals as opposed to controlled commodities. This philosophy is central to Indigenous knowledge systems, and it is an integral element of architectural designer Samantha Rich’s work. This concept, alongside a deep respect for Country informed by her Wiradjuri heritage, guides her as she encourages increased collaboration between non-Indigenous and Indigenous peoples, and educates current and future practitioners on Indigenous values and perspectives in design.

Of her decision to study architecture, Samantha says she was “appealed by the versatility of it,” adding, “it demands that you be a generalist – you have to be technical, creative, think about people and culture, project manage, and have an understanding of place.” Her parents were instrumental in this decision, too; her father, an engineer, always supported her technical aptitudes, and her mother, a nurse for many years in remote Indigenous communities, encouraged her to choose something that would allow her to “give back to her community”. Having worked as an architectural designer and cultural design consultant on Gadigal Country for 10 years, Samantha believes her role is to “care for and be a custodian of this place, and also – as it isn’t my ancestral land – to understand and uplift the voices of the people that are from this place.” She adds, “that’s the role that I feel I play as a designer – acting as a conduit for local Gadigal people and sharing their stories, histories and perspectives.”

Having worked as an architectural designer and cultural design consultant on Gadigal Country for 10 years, Samantha believes her role is to “care for and be a custodian of this place, and also – as it isn’t my ancestral land – to understand and uplift the voices of the people that are from this place.”

Many parallels can be drawn between Indigenous knowledge systems and sustainable architecture and design. Indigenous peoples’ unique and considered approach to building or adding to Country is deeply considered, driven by important cultural knowledge and a sacred respect for, and connection to, the natural environment. Whilst it is generations old, its core values align with a sustainable approach to architecture and design, and encouragingly, there is a broader trend towards embracing Indigenous thinking in line with the need for climate action. Recently, the New South Wales government introduced the Connecting with Country Draft Framework, which gives voice to Indigenous thinking and connection to Country in the planning, design and delivery of built environment projects in NSW. “It calls on architects to start considering how their projects can be Country-centred,” Samantha says, encouraging a deeper consideration for a project’s impact, guided by a cultural design consultant.

As Samantha explains, “Indigenous knowledge systems think in a way that is focused on relationalism, so everything is connected. It’s this idea of eco versus ego. Instead of a pyramid where the human is at the top, it’s a circle and all living and non-living entities are equal.” She notes the words of an Elder – ‘a site is as far as the eye can see’ – which, in Indigenous thinking, means a site is not defined by its physical boundaries. This philosophy places as much precedence on principles such as the site’s immediate conditions or the proposed building’s orientation as it does on how the surrounding vegetation and wildlife might be impacted. Not treating green-filled sites as blank slates is also key. “Just because a site hasn’t been developed yet doesn’t mean there’s nothing there, it’s just that it’s not recognised,” she says. “We need to consider everything in a place, not just those things which humans will benefit from.”

As is the case for Indigenous voices in many industries, there are severe racial inequities in architecture and design. In 2018, the Australian Design Review reported there were “only five practising Indigenous architects in Australia”. Samantha is committed to driving change in this sector, hoping to encourage more First Nations peoples working as architects, designers and cultural design consultants. She references the words ‘Not About Us Without Us’ – a well-known saying associated with policy making within the disability rights movement – in addressing the need for Indigenous people in the architecture and design industry. This phrase could be relevant for the underrepresentation of a minority group in any industry, yet it seems particularly pertinent for Indigenous peoples in architecture, as the concept of building is inherently tied to context and place, and in turn, to Country.

Understanding Country-centred design; recognising Indigenous knowledge systems in architecture; and addressing underrepresentation in the industry are equally significant topics, all of which are central to Samantha’s work. These themes are often difficult and stir painful confrontations associated with Australia’s past, however, Samantha’s mission to help drive Indigenous voices in this industry holds significant validity in building a more equitable future. According to Samantha, the first step in achieving this is simple: “be thoughtful,” she says. It is not complex, and it is something we are all capable of practicing with increased intent.