EMILY COX
Gresley Abas Architects in association with Greg Burgess Architect
SAY IT LOUD - Naarm Melbourne Exhibitor
MELBOURNE/AUSTRALIA Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
I see everybody with whom I am privileged to work as a collaborator. I am inspired by sharing knowledge and learning together, and being changed through the process. Relationships with people and places are the heart of every project.
EMILY COX
Bio:
Emily is an Interior Designer whose practice engages with the ways that the built environment impacts upon individuals and communities, and how it might best support the aspirations of the people we work with, to create a more equitable and sustainable future. With a background in community development, Emily has expertise in participatory design and co-design projects, where all involved with the project become active participants in brief development and the design evolution and outcomes.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
As a young person I thought that design was for others - rich people, that it was frivolous. Living on Nganyatjarra Country I learned that design has an immediate impact on people’s lives, and understood why it was something that I had to engage in.
What do you do?
People are co-creating the world always and everywhere - as a designer I seek to bring glimpses of new possibilities, our shared desires, into physical form. I work to make spaces that are grounded in place, so that our creativity can thrive.
What excites you in the work you do?
I understand design as a site of responsibility, a place where we imagine and explore together so as to understand new possibilities and create alternative futures. I am excited about what we are capable of when we really tune into that.
Who or what inspires you professionally?
I see everybody with whom I am privileged to work as a collaborator. I am inspired by sharing knowledge and learning together, and being changed through the process. Relationships with people and places are the heart of every project.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
Working to come into right relationship with place, with people, and on this continent with First Nations, is an on-going process. Though it will never be accomplished, it is an essential journey and foundational commitment - a good start!
Featured Project Name:
Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Aboriginal Community Centre
Featured Project Location:
Wyndham City, Victoria
Featured Project Completion Date:
2019
Role in Featured Project:
Vision and Engagement Leader + Designer (at Gresley Abas Architects)
Featured Project Description:
Wunggurrwil Dhurrung means Strong Heart in Wathaurung. The centre is a culturally safe place for Aboriginal peoples and an integrated family centre. Throughout the design process the strong Aboriginal leadership provided by the Koling Wada-Ngal Committee and the commitment of Wyndham City have together contributed to the creation of a unique design response – a truly integrated centre that reflects the identity of the community and is embedded in place.
