Bajirru! there you all are, hello! From the Yanyuwa language of Balarinji’s origin community Borroloola NT
Jinangu awara wabarrangu barra kalu-wingka marnijinju wabudala kari-nguthundawabarrangu jinangu Australia li-wulu marnaji barra liyi-Yanyuwawu awara li-Marranbala li-Arrwangala li-Gudanji jinangu awara Burrulula marnaji yamulhu
Our Country we belong to is Borroloola. Yanyuwa, Marra, Gudanji and Garrawa people.We welcome everyone to this land Australia.
Yanyuwa elder Samuel Evans Jamika
Play sound
Stop play sound
Loading...
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. are respectfully advised this website contains references, artworks and images of people who have passed
GPT Group & AMP Capital

Cockle Bay Park Redevelopment Designing with Country

Balarinji was engaged by GPT Group and AMP Capital to deliver a Designing with Country framework to integrate local Aboriginal culture and values within the design of the Cockle Bay Park redevelopment in Sydney.

The redevelopment aims to reinvent urban life at Darling Harbour, regenerate wilderness in the waterfront and reconnect the city, returning Cockle Bay to a working neighbourhood by the water with deeper human connection and more lifestyle space. 

Balarinji’s Designing with Country framework for the Cockle Bay Park redevelopment translated local Aboriginal narratives and recommended ways to authentically integrate these into the project design. 

In co-design with locally-connected Aboriginal knowledge holders and creative practitioners, Balarinji identified key themes that were deeply connected to place for a conceptual approach to the project’s architecture, landscape design, urban furniture and public art. These themes included:

  • Country under the concrete
  • Welcome to Gadigal and Wangal Country
  • Stories of Gadigal women
  • Navigation and reimaging landmarks

From this engagement process, Balarinji also provided insight into what local Aboriginal people wanted from the redevelopment, both specific to the project and more broadly reflecting the universal Aboriginal worldview and context.

Image: Mangrove concept by artist Jamie Eastwood (Ngemba/Dharug)

The process of co-design and deep engagement established open channels of positive communication and goodwill which will allow the project design teams to continue to raise questions with appropriate Aboriginal stakeholders in a collaborative and productive manner that will best serve the local Aboriginal community and the development project.

Balarinji’s Designing with Country methodology is a cultural design framework that guides the agency’s co-design practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge holders, storytellers and creative practitioners to translate Place-based knowledge, spirituality, protocols, history, culture and contemporary stories for design interpretation.

Image: Woven baskets concept by artist Karleen Green (Butchulla/Bundjalung)