Questioning "authentic" Aboriginal architecture: an analysis of recent cultural centre designs

Architects' interpretations of Aboriginal cultures play a significant role in shaping the way in which Aboriginality is perceived by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Problematically, contemporary architectural expressions of Aboriginality tend to be structured around a range of "primitive" stereotypes both within the architectural media and in the perceptions of the general public. Such stereotypes have the capacity to limit the possible meanings an functions of an "Aboriginal" building. This research project responds to the limitations of this situation by developing a critical understanding of how Aboriginal identities are expressed within architecture. This project adopts an interdisciplinary approach to the topic that combines concepts and knowledge drawn from architecture and from Aboriginal studies to conduct a textual analysis of literature on Aboriginal architecture. This information is critically interpreted from the point of view of the Indigenous Research Methodology, which sets a strategic agenda for planning and implementing research in a clear and conscious attempt to reclaim control over Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Accordingly, this research project uses, for the first time in the discipline of architecture. a "decolonising methodology" that acknowledges the research project's post-colonial framework while actively considering the racial identities of Indigenous designers and building users. To highlight the issues, three case studies are presented in detail. Each involves the analysis of drawing and texts; site visits and observations. Through analysis of these case studies, a series of observations have been developed to assist in a process of "reframing"; a method that seeks to correct false claims and to interpret or re-interpret actions and events from Indigenous perspectives. This research explores how certain discourses about Aboriginal peoples and cultures are maintained in architecture. Through this analysis, alternative ways of acknowledging and representing Aboriginal cultures (past, present and future), in architectural form are uncovered and explained. Possible future strategies for the representation of Aboriginality in architecture are proposed which suggest how a "decolonised" culturally-appropriate Aboriginal architecture can be developed in the discipline of architecture. Ultimately, it is anticipated that the research will assist in effecting an improved understanding of appropriate architectural built form for Indigenous building users, communities and organisations.