Wardle has announced that Michael McMahon has become the practice’s inaugural First Nations Leader.
The recently created role will see the practice enhance its engagement with Indigenous stakeholders for architectural projects and is a step towards reconciling town and Country with Country, one of the practice’s five pillars.
“We’ve created this role to build the capacity of our practice to engage with and express First Nations cultural practices, stories, and knowledge in the places we create,” says Wardle Partner Meaghan Dwyer.
“We thrive on exploring new ways of thinking and being more inclusive in the way we work and design. Michael’s role will help instil Indigenous knowledge and design thinking across our projects.”
Since joining in 2021, McMahon has assisted in Wardle’s delivery of the Bendigo Law Courts and the University of Tasmania’s Willis Street project in the Inveresk precinct., as well as the Castlemaine Art Museum masterplan. A Bundjalung descendant and born in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, McMahon graduated from the Royal College of Art in London in 2020 and his deep research and insight of place and context make him the ideal candidate for the role.
McMahon’s duties will see him support project and management teams on decision making surrounding First Nations issues and forms part of Wardle’s second reconciliation action plan, titled Innovate.
“Michael’s commitment to placing First Nations culture and knowledge sensitively within the built environment aligns closely with Wardle’s journey to link Country and the urban settings we operate in,” Dwyer continues.
“He has assisted in the development of the role responsibilities and in turn we’re supporting his development as a practice leader. We’re thrilled to have Michael working with us in this capacity'."
