Cultural cadetship like none other—celebrating Liam Khan
Liam Khan’s journey into the architectural world is one marked by determination, cultural pride, and opportunity.
A proud Kamilaroi man and student of architecture at Western Sydney University, Liam was the recipient of the first fully-paid Indigenous architect scholarship funded by DesignInc Sydney.
Kamilaroi man Liam Khan studied his Bachelor of Architecture at Western Sydney University.
For the 21-year-old, who has now completed his Bachelor of Architecture and is preparing for his Masters’, this scholarship was more than just financial support—rather an opportunity to make a difference in an industry where Indigenous representation is starkly low.
‘Call it fate. I was actually the only person to apply for the scholarship in five years, which blew my mind,’ Liam recalls.
According to the NSW Architects Registration Board (at the time of writing), there are currently 20 registered architects who have declared that they are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Four of those are registered in the non-practising category, and it’s important to note that the question is not compulsory to answer—leaving accuracy to be desired.
‘The whole point of the scholarship is to increase that number. The industry is prioritising co-design and daylighting Indigenous narratives, and to facilitate meaningful engagement and representation of communities at that growing scale—we’re going to need many more Indigenous architects.’
Top: Nguluway DesignInc is based on Gadigal land at 126 Phillip Street, Sydney—Deutsch Bank Place.
Bottom: Nguluway DesignInc and DesignInc Sydney teams.
Since joining Nguluway DesignInc, Liam has thrived in a culturally invigorating and supportive environment under the mentorship of Managing Director and Wiradjuri man, Craig Kerslake, a trailblazer in the industry.
‘Craig has been fundamental to my development and the development of DesignInc generally,’ Liam said. ‘His mentorship has not only improved my architectural skills but has helped deepen my understanding and appreciation of my cultural heritage through practicing Designing from Country.
‘Craig’s taught me the tremendous power of Designing from Country—the positive impact it can have on communities. He’s been fundamental to my development and of the development of DesignInc’s cultural literacy, too.’
Liam (right), Craig Kerslake (second-right) and consultants walking on Country.
Growing the next generation of Indigenous architects is of utmost importance—talent which Craig says should be nurtured by other Indigenous architects in ‘incubators’.
‘Indigenous practitioners have lived experience which elevates their success when Connecting and Designing with Country. Therefore, a Blak hand is the best hand to be disseminating this knowledge with the next generation. This also avoids cultural appropriation and speaks strongly to self-determination.
‘Indigenous businesses are like incubators—growing and nurturing the next generation of Indigenous designers. Through lived experiences, the people within operate on a higher plane of cultural knowledge. We don’t need to learn the culture because we get it. We design from that place—Design from Country.’
Currently, Liam is working on significant cultural projects that make a real difference, such as the Bundjalung Tribal Society Cultural Centre and a concept for the new Ngurra Cultural Centre in Canberra. For the latter, Nguluway DesignInc features within the all-Indigenous design team known as the ‘Blak Hand Collective’, a team which includes the likes of Jefa Greanway (Greenaway Architects), Kevin O’Brian (BVN Architects), and Paul Herzich (Mantirri Design). For Liam, seeing this distinguished team of Indigenous architects coming together is a game changer.
Ngurra Cultural Centre Competition entry (2022) by the Blak Hand Collective featuring Nguluway DesignInc.
‘To even be a part of that is just incredible. The stories we’ve been able to detail as part of the Blak Hand Collective gives the concept so much depth. To imagine such an important piece of infrastructure sitting right next to Parliament House, it’s going to be a massive statement for Indigenous people.’
Seeing the positive impact that Indigenous-led design has on communities themselves has been ‘really eye opening.’
According to Liam, ‘the Nguluway DesignInc way is the only style of connecting with and designing from Country that I gravitate towards and enjoy doing. Architecture is about storytelling and bringing the Indigenous narratives into it is incredibly fulfilling.
‘There are endless stories to tell, too—remember, we’re building on Indigenous land. It’s a matter of revealing these stories, putting the time in to find them and connect with the local Elders that safeguard this knowledge—that’s ultimately how you achieve meaningful outcomes.’
As Liam continues to grow and lead, he hopes his journey will inspire many more Indigenous voices to join the industry and shape the future of Australian architecture.
Aboriginal Drug + Alcohol Recovery Centre, where clinical planning meets Country.
