TheArchitectureofCommunity
TheFulcrum.Agency is an architectural consultancy that leverages community and social outcomes through evidence-based design thinking.
We work between design, advocacy, research and action to address inequality, create impact and find opportunity across Australia.
Founded by Emma Williamson and Kieran Wong, TheFulcrum.Agency is born from decades in practice delivering public and social housing, education and community infrastructure, urban design and planning guidance.
We are a practice of creative consultants with a dynamic approach to how we deliver work. Our team has extensive experience in community engagement, participatory planning and communications design. We work nationally, in major urban centres and our most remote communities. As designers, we use our skills in problem solving, listening and challenging our clients to develop solutions that empower the communities with whom we work. We are always on the lookout for collaborative opportunities in any community.
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Politics, bureaucracy and a misguided push for innovation inhibit empowerment and reconciliation in Indigenous communities. In this article, first published in Architecture Australia, TheFulcrum.Agency co-founder Kieran Wong explores the ‘seagull effect’ and the failings inherent in the procurement process for essential work in remote communities.
Over ten years ago, at the height of the resources boom in Western Australia, TheFulcrum.Agency co-founder Emma Williamson and I started to work regionally and remotely across Western Australia. Our work focused on two areas—small community and health projects and the development of state government-sponsored design guides and handbooks. These handbooks aimed to identify and retain the character of townships, settlements and outstations in the face of the overwhelming onslaught of development that resulted from the resources boom. Through this work we formed relationships with Indigenous organisations and communities, working collaboratively to deliver projects ranging from land subdivision to community buildings, offices and health clinics. Since then we have worked with four different Indigenous communities in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, each within two kilometres of a major tourism destination. Incredibly, these ‘one-mile’ communities are without access to running scheme water, sewerage treatment or reliable power. These conditions are the remnants and reserves of institutionalised racism that survive today. Each community is adjacent to homes and tourist resorts in which visitors pay top dollar for a holiday ‘on Country’ without realising their nearest neighbours are living without basic amenity. These communities are living in the Fourth World, a term coined by Canadian First Nations leader George Manuel in 1974 to describe Indigenous peoples who live in First World nations but are excluded and marginalised from mainstream advantage and opportunity. We tread a challenging tightrope as First World consultants, working and walking alongside our clients in the Fourth. This walk is more like a dance between two ways of seeing the world. The tensions and opportunities inherent in this dance have created much of the meaning our work has sought to explore. These challenges take many forms as our growing awareness and understanding of working in remote and regional Indigenous communities deepens. I am not a seagull… Working in communities post-native title determination, often with leaders who are key to maintaining ceremonial and sacred life, is a distinct challenge for us westernized middle-class professionals. How can we relate to the vast array of cultural and familial obligations, nationhoods, resettlement patterns, stolen generations and collective and intergenerational trauma? The paradox is one of striving to do good through a model of ‘community development’ when we are labelled ‘seagulls’: white beings that fly in, make a lot of noise, shit on everything and fly away again. The contradiction of maintaining an anti-racist position while working within regimes, systems and procurement models that can only be considered colonising is exhausting to motivation. As author Kim Mahood has articulated, ‘… the most highly skilled and scrupulous people are hollowed out by the effects of this contradiction.’
Keeping clients alive
The reality of the unacceptable health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is keenly felt when working with communities that can have an average life expectancy as low as 52. Not so many years ago I had the privilege of working with an articulate leader and traditional owner my own age. His untimely death at the age of 42 was tragic and profound. It created a leadership void, ongoing trauma in the community and significant disruptions to the delivery of his organisation’s project. Our current work in the Groote Archipelago in the Northern Territory is punctuated with constant ‘sorry business’ (social practices that follow the death of a community member) and the elastic responses required as relatives arrive, and houses, cars and boats are vacated to await the smoking ceremony that helps spirits to be sung out and onwards. The challenges of innovation We have read dozens of auditor’s reports arguing (with eye-glazing similarity) that Indigenous projects, programs and partnerships have resulted in suboptimal outcomes because of poor design, delivery and review processes. Reports that assert recommendations to (yet again) improve local consultation, improve coordination between agencies, innovate in design and innovate in delivery. This innovate → neglect → crisis → rebuild → neglect cycle, which characterises much housing policy and funding for Indigenous communities, is a key challenge. It is the flawed model that architects and health professionals
seeking to improve the most basic of requirements for living, a healthy house, encounter again and again. We must stop innovating through novelty as this supports a system that is essentially designed for failure. Instead we must continue to advocate for evidence-based models of quality design and delivery and robust maintenance practices, as championed through the work of Health Habitat, Tangentyere Design and many others. Of politics These challenges are, at their heart, political. The rhetoric of ‘better design practices for healthy housing’ slips easily off the tongues of politicians, but can so easily disappear in the complex and exhausting chains of middlemanagement tasked to deliver it. Working within a political system designed to support and feed an ever-burgeoning bureaucracy places emphasis on the new, the quick and the initial cost, and diminishes the value of life cycles, incremental and evolutionary improvement and communityled feedback loops. Of land, right? In our work with the Quandamooka community on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island, Queensland) we’ve experienced the effects of recent native title determinations and the striking political strength of traditional owners, who have been bruised and pilloried by ‘locals’ during the process. Native title and land title tension between thirdgeneration holiday-makers and a culture built over millennia simply adds to the generational trauma. Rather than building bridges between community members, it can result in fractured opportunities to work together across boundary lines of freehold and reserve lands. … and ‘action’! One of the greatest challenges lies in procurement processes that are predicated on the rhetoric of the right ‘action’ words, yet fail to deliver meaningful change or actual outcomes. The neoliberal development patterns, project management processes and de-risked delivery models espoused by governments and private consulting firms must be reimagined. Time and again we have seen Indigenous organisations struggle with ‘corporate knowledge’ and the never-ending bureaucratic processes designed to ‘build capacity.’ We need a model that is the right fit culturally and commercially, and one that can be led by Indigenous communities.Itmay be difficult to imagine this alternative model, given that the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s most basic proposition of a Makarrata Commission can be neither understood nor supported by our government. For us, this is emphatic evidence that current systems are not geared to facilitate and celebrate Indigenous organisations, native title holders and owners of culture, story and country. This is one of the reasons we seek to work directly with traditional owner groups, post-native title determination, on their own country and on their own projects. Unfortunately though, this work is not always on their own terms. Why not? Because the strings tied to funding, land release and the ‘economic transition strategy’ require the use of standardised bureaucratic processes and conventional project management and milestones. Government briefs set targets and outcomes that can be identified within electoral cycles. It is impossible to resist the colonising effects of these kinds of procurement processes. What then of the future, the possibility inherent in community as more and more post-native title determination communities are recognised, formed, re-formed, imagined and projected? Is there another way forward that doesn’t solely use the ‘rational’, Westernised economic development model to empower communities? We are optimists—our work is always imagined in a (brighter) future. We imagine Australia as a Fourth World in which this is not a pejorative term denoting marginalisation, disempowerment and despair, but rather one describing, as the Uluru Statement from the Heart states, ‘a fuller expression of our nationhood’. It is a country of empowerment and reconciliation, truthful and open to Indigenous voices. Getting there will require political maturity, genuine reconciliation and a collective re-casting and reimagining of the post-colonial, neoliberal malaise that got us here in the first place.We dream of this place. Where our country, it’s continuous narrative and ongoing human relationships intersect to create a new way—our Fourth Worlds, teaching us to walk together and transform the First.
Karratha Central Healthcare designed by CODA (2016) provides broad-spectrum healthcare to Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in the Pilbara city of Karratha.
VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY “ “You came and sat together with us. It’s the first time for us, choosing our house the way we want. Cherelle Wurrawilya Anindilyakwa Land Council Board Member We keep it simple, straightforward and on the ground. We’re walking around talking to people, we’re not sitting in an office. James Durilla Anindilyakwa Land Council Board Member
It’s
that we have our own
GROOTE EYLANDT
“ “I was stunned by how easy it was for Kieran and his team to be invited into several of the many different styles of homes in the Angurugy, Umbakumba and Millyakburra communities.
He and his team were welcomed everywhere they went.
committees, chairs and directors. Strong
Elaine Mamarika Director, Anindilyakwa Housing Aboriginal Corporation
Corallie Ferguson GEBIE Group Chief Executive Officer important for Indigenous people housing leaders,
strong voices.
CASE STUDY
RADICAL INCREMENTS Over the last five years, The Fulcrum.Agency have been working with the Anindilyakwa Land Council to improve life for the Indigenous population on the Groote Archipelago through better designed communities and housing. The work is extraordinary, combining long-term community planning and cross-cultural co-design processes.
At the end of all of this we advised: ‘build no more than 6–10 houses per year and design them in such a way that local contractors can do the work. Build properly and for the long term. Learn from the past and ensure all houses are culturally and climatically appropriate.’ The ALC Board was bold in accepting our advice.
The issue
On our first trip to the Archipelago, we were presented with a Strategic Plan that declared 100 houses needed to be built as a priority. The question we were asked was where should they be built? (and how quickly can you do it?)
The first thing we did was take a step back; we wanted to find out what was needed, what people wanted, and what has and hasn’t worked in the past. Critically, we wanted to understand why. The project called for genuine collaboration and a commitment to building a long-term relationship with the community. We met with people one-on-one and had many conversations; we hosted BBQ’s and lunches and held our meetings outside. We learnt about the importance of songlines, moiety and asked questions about culture. We were listening and we were learning. Over time we were invited into people’s homes where we gained a deeper understanding of what was needed to address specific housing demands in each community. We developed bespoke iPad surveys to gather information about things like room occupancy and employed local community representatives to conduct the surveys in Language. This cost a fraction of what it would cost to fly someone in to do the same thing and built a huge amount of trust and community investment in the project.
LOCAL DECISION MAKING
The Housing Master Plan project has been led by community, with intensive engagement sessions across all seven communities on Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island.
GROOTE EYLANDT HOUSING MASTERPLAN
The process
The response Our response is both incremental and radical. It has many inter-related parts and takes into consideration the big picture and the fine detail.
kinship + ceremonyavoidance/visitors
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4. Now properly informed, we were able to get to work designing the Groote Archipelago Housing Project (‘GAHP’), a series of up to 50 houses built across the 7 communities over 5 years and designed in accordance with the principles outlined in our Housing Guide. The first of the houses are now under construction.
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3. We then wrote the Groote Housing Guide based on Best Practice Principles underpinned by the work of our colleagues at Health Habitat, the National Indigenous Housing Guide and our consultation and observations within the local community. The Guide creates a template for designing, building and maintaining healthy homes.
GrandparentsVisitorAdult
Elasticity This house plan demonstrates the patterns of occupation that are possible when visitors come to stay for short-periods (e.g. to attend funerals). An adult visitor can be accommodated in a temporary space with access to shared ablutions without compromising access for the permanent household. Privacy could be enhanced through the addition of doorways to corridors (as shown in green).
1. First, we co-designed a master-plan that encompasses 7 communities across the Archipelago and anticipates how people might move around according to cultural and practical needs. It is a strategic, long-term planning document, that takes into account the impact of population growth on housing and community-wide infrastructure.2.Next, we conducted a Housing Audit across the range of existing housing types and documented the results. We discovered that most houses were poorly built or maintained, mouldy and unsafe, culturally inappropriate, and difficult to maintain using local expertise. Long-term repairs and maintenance costs were too high.
• A community participatory process combined with the principles set out by the Housing Audit and Guide allowed the ALC to develop their own set of core priorities to guide development.
Settlement planning
• Opportunities for leverage and more likely when projects arrive on our doorstep early in the process, before major planning decisions have been made.
• In each community, TF.A and the relevant HRG walked the sites together, noting things like important trees, and ensuring that adequate time was given to consultation.
• Housing Reference Groups were formed consisting of equal representation from each clan. TF.A upskilled and encouraged the HRGs to look for opportunity within each new subdivision. E.g. ways to ensure better relationships between neighbours, ways to enhance privacy, allow for safer walking, quieter streets, less dust and more places for children to play.
GROOTE ARCHIPELAGO HOUSING PROJECT ‘GAHP’ They don’t look like standard housing nor a passing phase. OUTDOOR LIVING The outdoor living areas are well-shaded and cooled via oscillating wind-scoops on the roof that catch the breeze regardless of the orientation of the house. CONVERSATIONS Since 2015, we have had ongoing conversations with local community members and have used our findings to inform our Housing Masterplan and its rollout. LOCAL CONTRACTORS The GAHP roll-out is being delivered by two Indigenous contracting companies – Aminjarrinja Enterprises and GEBIE Construction and Civil.
• Robust detailing, contract administration to ensure quality construction and careful fixture selections have the combined effect of less wear and tear on buildings.
• Enhanced thermal insulation, the capturing of local breezes through better orientation and a response to indoor/outdoor living patterns means the houses are better suited to the climate and cost less to run.
• Air-conditioners are included in the base design, ensuring quality installation and better choices for ongoing maintenance.
• General health and wellness will be improved through less exposure to mould and the installation of appropriate health hardware.
• The local economy will be boosted through the training and contribution of local Indigenous construction and maintenance teams.
• We designed plans that are flexible and modular in the way they respond to living arrangements, lot orientations and breeze patterns.
RESPONSE TO CLIMATE
The impact
• We’ve improved thermal comfort through the inclusion of insulation, helping to prevent mould and to make airconditioners work more efficiently.
• They don’t look like standard housing nor a passing phase. These houses are elegant but at the same timer fit perfectly into the local context.
• The carports include tie-off points and power and can act as an additional outdoor living space.
This diagram reveals the direction of natural ventilation corridors through a home, and the potential of wind scoops to capture cooling breezes and funnel out hot air.
• Adaptable housing plans allow for fluid occupation and the potential for changing family structures.
We chose not to ‘innovate’ Instead, we looked to the past and studied the work of others with vast knowledge in this space – from CAT to Troppo to Health Habitat.
• We spent time talking through each plan, learning from the community what might work and what wouldn’t.
• We embraced the tarp! Non-structural columns and beams added to each veranda allow people to easily create temporary walls.
• We’ve used concrete block-work, which has a longer life-cycle, is easier to maintain and adapt in the future, and allows for better thermal comfort.
• We carefully selected fixtures and fittings for all areas based on robustness and suitability.
• Protected veranda act as extra sleeping areas for visitors.
• Each plan addresses the cultural factors that often lead to crowding stress; e.g. bedrooms are located in clusters on opposite sides of the plan and each cluster has its own bathroom.
• We’ve standardized as many of the structural components as possible, with the idea that you can build more effectively over time.
for Public Participation in recognition of
sustaining culture first and foremost - whilst delivering awardwinning projects. Get in Touch: 0447Andrew@TheFulcrum.Agency842623 www.TheFulcrum.Agency 11 Suffolk LevelFremantle,StreetWA61606,155Clarence Street Sydney, NSW 2000 +61 (0)8 6111 info@TheFulcrum.Agency0949
engagement, strategy, policy making and advocacy.
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anDrew BroFFMan Principal - Sydney Andrew leads our Sydney agency, reinforcing our national presence and ability to years, Andrew was Managing Director at Tangentyere Design Architects in Alice Springs, one of Australia’s most respected Aboriginal owned, not-for-profit architectural Tobusinesses.TheFulcrum.Agency brings considerable experience crosscultural He has a reputation always -
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Kieran wong Co-Founder & Partner Kieran is a co-founder and Partner at TheFulcrum.Agency, a creative consultancy that leverages community social design strategy, Kieran’s portfolio urban awarded by the Australian Institute of Architects winning the Australian Award for Urban He also an International Award his Senior Research Fellow at Monash University, and Industry Partner for the University of Sydney’s Health Habitat Incubator.
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