Country Centred Design

We recognise that our work in Australia takes place on the stolen lands of the country’s First Nations people. 

This understanding drives our commitment to deeply engage with Country and to actively collaborate with First Nations designers, not only in our projects but also to propel the entire design sector forward.

Our approach: working with evolving frameworks, building relationships

Embedding First Nations knowledge, histories and cultural practices into the design process of our Australian projects leads to more holistic and meaningful outcomes for our communities. Meaningful engagement is the result of respectful listening, learning and advocating at every opportunity throughout the design process. This goes beyond socially inclusive design; it’s about creating designs that profoundly respond to the site, its ecology, flora and fauna.

Throughout FY25, we continued to seek opportunities to put our Connecting with Country: Guidelines for Cultural Engagement into practice. We also sought to contribute to and learn from frameworks and guidance for Country-centred design in the places where we operate, such as the New South Wales government’s Connecting with Country Framework.

As our approach evolves, we’re learning that we can’t do this alone. As a predominantly non-Indigenous design practice, we continue to partner and build relationships with First Nations collaborators, investing time, energy, and spirit into each of these connections and the places we work on together. During FY25, we worked collaboratively with 47 First Nations consultants, designers and client in-house specialist teams, on a total of 64 of our projects, comprising over a third of our projects in Australia. 

Our commitment to Country-centred design is evident in projects like Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport on Dharug Country in Western Sydney, Australia, and Sydney Airport International Forecourt on Gamayngal, Bideagal, Gweagal, Gadigal and Gadhungal Country.

Beyond design: playing our part to advance reconciliation in our studios and our industry

To advance our commitment to First Nations reconciliation across our studios in Australia, we needed a formal framework. This led to our engagement with Reconciliation Australia’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Framework, and we proudly launched our first ​‘Reflect’ RAP in December 2022.

Our inaugural RAP strengthened our continuous work to deepen our cultural awareness and understanding across the entire practice. This isn’t just about compliance; it’s fundamental to our ability to engage in truly meaningful dialogue and authentic collaborations with First Nations communities. It’s how we actively create opportunities for First Nations talent both within our firm and among our valued network of suppliers and partners.

By December 2023, we had successfully completed 63 out of our 65 RAP deliverables, marking the conclusion of our inaugural RAP. This significant milestone prompted a thorough review of our efforts towards reconciliation, where we carefully assessed what worked well, identified areas for improvement, and integrated key lessons learned.

The insights gained from this review affirmed that our Reflect RAP was instrumental in driving our actions towards reconciliation with Australia’s First Nations people. The findings led directly to our Board’s decision to progress to an ​‘Innovate’ RAP, signalling a more ambitious commitment to our ongoing reconciliation journey. It’s a commitment we publicly announced during National Reconciliation Week in 2024.

In September 2024, we reformed our RAP Working Group to ensure it included representation from all four of our Australian studios with members from our design, People and Culture, and Sustainability teams. The new group now includes two First Nations members: Birrunga Wiradjuri and Hassell staff member Andrew Hannah-Davies, who also serves as one of the Working Group’s Co-Chairs. 

This Working Group continues to meet monthly to develop our next RAP, make our commitments tangible through action, and share learning and understanding from engaging with First Nations communities through our projects and practice. Hassell is proud to employ five First Nations team members who bring their knowledge and perspectives into our practice.