CULTURAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Balarinji has trail-blazed Aboriginal design in Australia for more than 35 years. We deliver exceptional outcomes for strategic design projects and placemaking by activating the beauty and spirituality of a site’s Aboriginal narrative.
Our design work is grounded in place-based and community-specific Aboriginal Cultural Design Principles, a process which drives our development of frameworks and strategies.
GROUNDBREAKING
METHODOLOGY
Balarinji’s groundbreaking and proven methodology framework delivers design that deepens sense of place and understanding of the Indigenous context. Our work is enriching Australian public places and major projects by activating the local Aboriginal narrative.
Our methodologies go beyond mitigation and compliance and provide projects with the means to greatly enrich their artistic and interpretative character. This results in greater integrity and authenticity through supported facilitation of Aboriginal stakeholders to go beyond sharing their stories and artwork, to genuinely co-designing concepts for interpretation.
OUR METHODOLOGY FRAMEWORK
CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE ENGAGEMENT
We engage authentically and collaboratively with verified Aboriginal stakeholders. Our proven workshop methodology facilitates local Aboriginal leaders, knowledge holders and creative professionals to articulate and interpret the site’s authentic Aboriginal narrative, protocols and principles to inform the interpretation strategy.
COMPLEMENTARY VALUE FOR CLIENTS AND COMMUNITIES
We undertake assurance mapping throughout projects to optimise commitment and support between all parties. We build Aboriginal community capacity by fostering and mentoring local art practice, and by growing partnerships with established and emerging Aboriginal architects and designers.
QUALITY RESEARCH AND REPORTING
We deliver extensive peer-reviewed and Indigenous community-collaborated knowledge of local story, language, ethnography, social circumstance and politics.
RECENT WORKS
OTHER SERVICES
RAP Design & Brand Identity
We create RAP designs and brand identities that reflect an organisation's commitment to reconciliation and the promotion of Aboriginal culture, employment and development.
