Students from the University of Sydney’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning recently took part in the Future of Towns 2025 Sustainable Urban Design and Architecture for Regional Places Studio an immersive program that brought together international expertise, Indigenous knowledge, and rural Australian communities.
In partnership with acclaimed Japanese architects and current Rothwell Co-Chairs* Momoyo Kaijima and Yoichi Tamai of Atelier Bow-Wow, the studio led by Associate Professor of Practice and director of DunnHillam Architecture + Urban Design, Ashley Dunn, invited students to explore the role of architecture in shaping relationships between people, place and Country.
The group travelled across regional New South Wales to towns including Wilcannia, Cobar, Bourke and Lightning Ridge, where they experienced first-hand the ways architecture, culture and landscape intersect.
Learning through Country
For Master of Architecture student Jessica Fong, the field trip highlighted how engaging directly with the land transforms architectural thinking.
“I’m really grateful for the chance to engage so directly with the land, architecture, and the local communities. The country walks were a standout for me. Being immersed in the landscape allowed me to see places in a completely new light, and it reinforced how space really shapes our connection to the environment,” she said.
One of Jessica’s most memorable moments was in Wilcannia, where Uncle Owen Whyman, Rebecca Hatch and kids within the local community led First Nations cultural activities including cultural dancing, a bush walk, and sharing of traditional food.
“It was a unique and fun hands-on cultural experience that really brought me closer to understanding the local community and gave me a deeper appreciation for the connection between food, culture, and place.”
The visit to the Sound Chapel in Cobar, an adaptive reuse of an old water tank, also left a lasting impression. “It reminded me of the power of architecture to engage our senses and create a deeper connection to the place. It was a perfect example of how architecture can shape our experience of the environment in a profound way,” said Jessica.
I’m really grateful for the chance to engage so directly with the land, architecture, and the local communities.
Jessica Fong
Master of Architecture student
A renewed perspective
For fellow student Kiyoka Hayashi, the studio offered both professional inspiration and personal reflection.
“This trip has exceeded my expectations of how much I could learn on-site, to the point that it has reignited my passion like never before!” she said.
Travelling alongside Momoyo-san and Yoichi-san was particularly meaningful. “I’ve admired their work for so long, and to not only meet them but travel and converse with them was surreal! Their insights inspired me to nurture my own curiosity and become more active in questioning and understanding further. (Momoyo-san always had a question!).”
Kiyoka recalled the group’s visit to the Australian Opal Museum construction site at Lightning Ridge as a highlight. “I unexpectedly found an opal! It felt like a gift from the land as a reminder of the importance of caring deeply for Country, a promise I will carry throughout my career and life.”
She also reflected on the generosity of local communities: “In Wilcannia we met David and Ka Wai, along with Owen and his family who generously shared their cultural food and dance with us – the fired kangaroo was incredible, though I wasn’t the biggest fan of the emu egg omelette… These moments, combined with Ashley’s incredible guidance, have left me feeling overwhelmed and deeply grateful.”
Building meaningful connections
Both Jessica and Kiyoka emphasised that the studio was more than an architectural study tour – it was a chance to learn through relationships with people and Country.
“The entire trip really expanded my perspective on architecture, showing me how design can create meaningful connections between people, communities, and the land,” Jessica said.
Kiyoka agreed “I now truly believe that listening, sitting with the land and people are not just important but essential to creating anything meaningful and cohesive.”
Teaching studios that connect global and local knowledge
The Future of Towns 2025 Studio is one of many teaching studios at the School of Architecture, Design and Planning designed to prepare students for professional practice while engaging with real-world contexts.
By bringing global architects into dialogue with rural communities and Indigenous knowledge, the studio highlights the University of Sydney’s commitment to decolonising design education and embedding respect for Country at the heart of its curriculum.
As Kiyoka reflected, “Many of my friends shared the same sentiment and we all deeply appreciated the chance to learn directly within the environment rather than from the confines of a classroom. I will genuinely carry these memories in my heart and apply what I’ve learned to my everyday experiences, as I now see it through a renewed perspective.”
*A major gift from alumni Garry and Susan Rothwell established the Rothwell Chair in Architectural Design Leadership with a purpose: to develop, through architecture and urbanism innovation, the capacity to create environments which improve people’s quality of life.