The building blocks of inspiration

A descendant of the Wailwan/Gamillaraay people and first-ever registered Indigenous architect in Victoria, Jefa Greenaway’s passion is fuelled by his reverence for design and creativity in his field. He grew up harbouring dreams of being a jockey, but instead jumped right into the saddle of being a steward for architecture and Indigenous culture in Australia.

Recently, Mr Greenaway had the privilege of joining four other Australian architects in May to be part of the 2011 Dulux Study Tour, an intensive program undertaking a study in architecture, design and cultural immersion spanning three major European cities across 10 days. The tour brought students to London, Barcelona and Copenhagen for behind-the-scenes visits to major buildings, offices and landmarks, comprising a wide diversity of architectural designs and traditions.

Highlights included a six-hour walking tour of London led by Ken Allinson, followed by a bus tour of the 2012 Olympic Park and a behind-the-scenes visit to La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. They also had the opportunity to meet with industry leaders, both in major firms as well as up-and-coming boutique ones. Most of the visits were hosted by world-renowned architects themselves, such as the tour of Bagsvaard Church in Copenhagen led by Jan Utzon, son of the Sydney Opera House architect Jørn Utzon.

For Mr Greenaway, the tour was powerfully contemplative and exciting, serving as a hallmark to his own personal journey and aspirations.

“I’m still absorbing the entire experience, with much of its impact and meaning still being crystallised to this day,” he says.

“Each city we visited was interesting in its own regard, with unique depth, character and contributions to the field of architecture. There is much room for deep reflection, from what Australia can adopt, to how this influences my own practice and most of all the potential for learning and cultural exchange between cities.

“Copenhagen really stood out for me; as a city I consider to truly embody architectural excellence, strongly evident in its integrated design culture. Design is supported from the top down by six government ministries in Denmark, with aesthetic elements present in everything from furniture, to urban spaces and products. Architecture itself is recognised by the local community as a moniker for good design, and it is easy to see how Copenhagen has managed to brand itself globally as a benchmark for innovative form as well as function.”

The practical industry aspects also came alive for Mr Greenaway during the tour, where he noticed how his European contemporaries have redefined the architectural modelling process.

“For example, in David Chipperfield’s office in London, we saw how modelling is used in an evocative manner, which is largely different from how it is practised in Australia. Some firms in Copenhagen even built models up to three metres high, with a 1:50 scale or greater. Mind-to-hand immediacy resonates strongly with the modelling process in this manner; serving as an extension of a sketch which can be a limiting factor, design-wise.

“Perhaps the strongest takeaway for me in the tour is synergy – exemplified in the marriage of old and new design elements within each city, from creative expositions featuring classical Modernists to contemporary seminal architects. Conceptually, I’ve had the opportunity to revisit my field through a new lens, seeing architecture being stripped back to its essence, with greater clarity for design innovation and fertile soil for new ideas in the works.”

An Honours alumnus of the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, Mr Greenaway recently hosted an exhibition with 12 other students in March entitled Identity, Diversity and the Metropolis. The exhibition ran over two weeks and reflected upon themes of ‘Aboriginality’ within modern city spaces and metropolises, exploring how architecture and design could represent and symbolise Indigenous identity in urban constructions. Mr Greenaway continues to serve as a sessional teacher at the University of Melbourne in between managing his own architectural practice Greenaway Architects. He also holds a Project Architect position at SJB Architects.