This post links to a story by Antony McPhee about architecting with Aboriginal clients. The story traces work done by the author’s father, Andrew McPhee, in Finke community (Aputula) in the 1970s, as he learned from, listened to and collaborated with the local residents to design housing that suited their needs and aspirations.
McPhee had been commissioned to work at Finke in accordance with a scheme of the Australian government:
A community wanting housing had to form a properly constituted local council and/or housing association, then commission a lawyer, an accountant and an architect. Their architect was to consult with the Aboriginal organization and determine their housing needs, and with evidence, drawings and estimates submit an application to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs for funds to implement their housing scheme.
Published in the magazine of the Australian Institute of Architects, Architecture Australia, the story is a very useful, humble account of the challenges of this cross-cultural work.