KIRSTINE WALLIS
IADV & University of Melbourne
SAY IT LOUD - Naarm Melbourne Exhibitor
MELBOURNE/AUSTRALIA Designer
What excites you in the work you do?
I am excited & motivated to be able to care for Country by teaching bi-cultural perspectives & authentic understanding of place. I love being a Landscape Architect, making biodiversity decisions & help raise First Nations perspectives in my field.
KIRSTINE WALLIS
Bio:
Kirstine Wallis is a landscape architect and artist from Birraranga (Melbourne) and lives on Wadawurrung Country in Geelong, with a passion for increasing biodiversity, cultural authenticity, and narrative into the Victorian landscape. Her mother’s heritage has connection to Yorta Yorta Country, along with pre-colonial Irish/Scottish, and ancestry way back to Lutruwita (Tasmania). Her dad’s side has colonial links to England and Captain Cook’s family. The cultural dichotomy fuels her research.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I started building models for stop-motion animation, and then became a sculptor for feature films, theme parks and zoos, architectural features and bespoke interiors. I became more interested in adding plants to my creative pallet.
What do you do?
I am a fulltime Landscape Architect at Wyndham City Council in the Landscape and Urban Subdivisions Department. I also work as a Teaching Fellow at University of Melbourne.
What excites you in the work you do?
I am excited & motivated to be able to care for Country by teaching bi-cultural perspectives & authentic understanding of place. I love being a Landscape Architect, making biodiversity decisions & help raise First Nations perspectives in my field.
Featured Project Name:
IADV & the UoM Designing with Country; Resilience Studio
Featured Project Location:
The Birrarung (the Yarra River, Melbourne, between Punt Road and the Ballan St Bridge)
Featured Project Completion Date:
Student Projects Term 1 2021, July
Role in Featured Project:
Teaching Fellow
Featured Project Description:
IADV worked with University of Melbourne’s faculty of Building and Planning to create an Indigenous led design studio for Masters level Landscape Architects, Planners, Urban Designers and Architects to gain an understanding of the context of designing in and around a big, wet, beautiful living entity… the main river that runs into Naarm called the Birrarung. Co-ordinated by Alex Felson and Jefa Greenaway, and tutored by Kirstine Wallis.
