Djinjama together with Hassell and Edition Office in collaboration won the architectural design competition for Ngurra: The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Precinct at Commonwealth Place in Canberra. The new precinct sets to empower and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to tell their own stories and celebrate the ancient history of this nation while also providing a National Resting Place to house and care for ancestral remains and any associated cultural material on their journey back to Country. Djinjama brought an Indigenous-led design process that allowed Country to lead the design team with deep time and memory captured into the design. This methodology from Djinjama ensured the design embedded Country, kin, and community within an important place for First Nations peoples and culture.
The jury commented that the winning design was “bold, yet elegant in integrating with the landscape” and commended “the commitment to rehabilitation of the site as a statement about the environment and First Nations connection to Country”.
Djinjama honours our connections to Country, community, culture and kin through our work. Djinjama’s projects actively interact with lands, waters and air, and as such we actively protect the rights of Country to be healthy in our work. We respect Traditional Custodians who have long cared for Country and aim to elevate First Voices in all our work. We are grateful to Elders and Knowledge Holders for their continued sharing of wisdom, story, language, and knowledge.
