The Australian landscape spirit lies in un-ravelling and seeking an attuned relationship with its system and meanings. Generations of Aboriginal nuances, traditions and ‘readings’ crafted bio-regional systems where one community melded with the landscape, dwelt within a particular philosophical adventure, and created designs to express and as a response to this ecological construct. We are only now beginning--as post-contact occupiers—to comprehend the dimensions of their approaches to time and seasonality that positioned their ‘designs’.

This paper charts a cultural anthropological and ethno-ecological survey over contemporary research into Australian landscape seasons. It considers the translation of this information into design practice, and presents an alternative culturally informed design and planning approach to projects and site formulation.

The survey draws upon Victoria, South Australian and Northern Territory research, and explores recent design approaches employed at the new Museum Victoria and South Australian Museum complexes by Taylor Cullity Lethlean and Woodhead Australia.

page 3:   South Australian Museum's Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery