High Commission of Canada
Canberra, Australia
Global Affairs Canada
Project 2024 – current
The new Canadian High Commission in Canberra has a unique indigeneity requirement in the project brief – to acknowledge the Canadian government’s vision for an inclusive, diverse and equitable place for all peoples. This is reflective of the importance Canada places on reconciliation with its indigenous peoples, as well as a celebration of First Peoples culture in both Canada and Australia.
It is our role as lead architect to ensure Indigenous design principles and traditional knowledge from both countries is incorporated.
The design respects and reflects the cultural heritage of First Nations people from Canada, while acknowledging that the High Commission will be built on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country.
To achieve this, our team included cultural advisors from both Canada and Australia, who worked in collaboration, engaging with Traditional Owner representatives in Canberra and Indigenous representatives of Canada. Through deep listening and meaningful collaboration, we uncovered opportunities for all parties to inform the design of the new chancery through a respectful co-design process.
The project is currently in contract documentation stage and is expected to be complete by early 2026.
