Our vision for Reconciliation in Australia is to celebrate and welcome First Nations people, culture, history, language and art in properties we develop and operate. Our mission is to create real estate experiences where all cultures feel welcome.
There are few places that better exemplify these commitments than at our most recently completed office and retail development, One the Esplanade, on the Perth waterfront at Elizabeth Quay in Western Australia.
From the project’s inception, Brookfield Properties worked with anchor tenant Chevron Australia and First Nations consultancy Soft Earth, representing the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation, to lay the groundwork for Designing with Country and reflect the Noongar culture within the built environment.
The early stages of this collaboration allowed Brookfield Properties to examine key areas of the building’s proposed design, landscaping and sculptural elements. With the collaboration of Soft Earth’s Barry McGuire and Carol Innes, we moved to ensure the culture, ancestry and lore of the Whadjuk Noongar were faithfully interpreted throughout all stages of the project.
We worked closely with Soft Earth on the selection and planting of a mature native Tuart tree, which sits within the expansive glass ‘Oculus’ void at One The Esplanade. Additional landscaping and planting was modified to reflect the Noongar Six Seasons, the traditional seasonal calendar of the Whadjuk Noongar people.
From an arts perspective, One The Esplanade now features a 2.8-metre-high cast bronze artwork by Jarni McGuire, ‘Goodjal ba Ngoonii Koorndaam’, as well as Stuart Green and Sandra Hill’s ‘Within, Without’, a two-piece structure standing 4.2 metres tall at the north-west corner of the building.
‘Within, Without’ is the result of a collaboration between a Noongar and wadjela (non-Aboriginal) artist team — Stuart Green of Big Spoon Art Services, and Noongar artist and project cultural advisor Sandra Hill - which represents energy, endurance and a shared history as Western Australians in Whadjuk Noongar country.
‘Goodjal ba Ngoonii Koorndaam’, located nearby features cast-bronze traditional dance sticks by emerging Noongar artist Jarni McGuire. The work is an interpretation of the Whadjuk Noongar story, Two Brothers Dreaming.
Bespoke street furniture with a distinct ‘dancing legs’ design was installed - a collaboration between Soft Earth and the celebrated architectural studio, Hassell. Designed to encourage people to meet and share knowledge, the furniture celebrates the energy that is created in the ground through marching, dancing or playing when large groups come together.
Brookfield Properties has also sought to enhance cultural knowledge and respect for the Whadjuk Noongar people, their heritage and traditions, amongst the many people working on the project. This was manifested in a variety of cultural inclusiveness moments, ranging from on-Country immersion and cultural education sessions. A cultural safety plan was also established for the project.
Our collaboration at One The Esplanade catalysed the launch of our inaugural Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan for our Australian operations in May 2022 and the establishment of a Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group.
