Niwili White Forrest joins Nguluway DesignInc’s design leadership

Niwili White Forrest joins Nguluway DesignInc as an Associate.

Nguluway DesignInc welcomes experienced Associate and Ngangiwumerri/Ngangikurrungurr man, Niwili White Forrest, as the fifth Indigenous designer at the studio.

From growing up across the NT, to attending high school and university in Adelaide, and settling in Sydney to complete his Masters—Niwili is a journeyman. It is on this journey his colourful career has been shaped by art, architecture, education, community engagement, and social impact.

This desire to create a positive impact in the community largely led Niwili to architecture in the first place, he said.

‘I’ve always loved design, art, and understanding how things work. using architecture to benefit our mob really became my driving force while I was at University, having seen how housing in communities is so rarely fit for purpose. My biggest motivation has always been my family and community back home in Daly River. That’s what ultimately drives my work—I want to use my work to make things better for Indigenous communities.’

The theme of education has been a constant on Niwili’s path to Nguluway DesignInc.

‘Alongside my studies, I’ve always been involved in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education—whether that’s through tutoring or mentoring, which I did mainly at high schools or through cultural workshops, art workshops, and educational programs—for schools and businesses Within architecture, I’ve been involved in various projects, ranging from childcares, to schools, to hospitals, to alpine projects and everything in between. My main focus, however, has always been on education.’

Now, Niwili is able to put all of his knowledge and experience into a fresh focus: engaging communities to translate Indigenous knowledge sensitively into design—or, Designing from Country.

‘It’s a rare opportunity to be in a place like Nguluway DesignInc where Indigenous architecture is the main focus, with so many Aboriginal designers in one team. A big part of my role will be community engagement [Connecting with Country] and ensuring our designs are informed and shaped by Indigenous knowledge.

‘Effective community engagement comes down to relationships and being an advocate for community. Through building trust, creating a space where people feel comfortable sharing, then respectfully handling information shared. It’s also about understanding the diversity in cultures across different communities and working alongside Elders, Knowledge Holders and Community to design together. When it’s done properly, codesign strengthens architecture and leads to better outcomes for both the client and the community.

‘Here, I get to do that work every day—not just as a component of a project but as the studio’s core purpose. This approach to work is deeply embedded into everything we do and that’s a big motivator for me.’