Sensational-Adelaide.com

[Shuz] wrote:Sorry - am I missing something here? Didn't they just upgrade that section of Hindley Street like 2 years ago?

Guy Maron: Aboriginality lost in decision to change colour scheme of University of South Australia City West campus

UNIVERSITY of South Australia vice-chancellor David Lloyd recently delivered his address to students at their graduation in Aboriginal language.

Regrettably, very few understood him, but the gesture represented an intended public relations coup with no equal.

It is worth recalling that the creation of UniSA’s City West Campus, itself a heroic act soon after the amalgamation of a plethora of colleges of advanced education, represented a momentous task, particularly as it meant a physical move to the decaying west of the city.

One of the challenging tasks for the prize-winning plan for the campus on North Tce was to embody Aboriginality.
The ensuing in-depth consultation with Aboriginal elders was significant as they requested the colour of the buildings to reflect this great land of theirs.

Thus ochres and reds were adopted as predominant colours.
The colour scheme was embraced and ratified by the university’s governing council, as well as Adelaide City Council.



The Aboriginal community had had their say and the university stuck by its resolve by bringing about the colourful North Tce environment.

Sadly, with the passing of time and changing of the guard, corporate memory has become lost. Decisions are made in the light of new whims and realities with no one apparently taking the trouble to understand why things are the way they are.

The current management of the university, having received advice that the buildings should be refreshed, is acting on this advice in an apparent effort to give the campus a new face.

Prof Lloyd has stated: “It is not our intent to airbrush (or paint) over history and our origins. I hope that the new treatment will simply be another step in our growth.”



Unfortunately, in so doing, the Aboriginality of the campus, so strenuously achieved a couple of decades ago, has to go.
It would appear that the ochres and reds endorsed by the Aboriginal elders are to be replaced by the macabre black we now see appearing on the buildings on North Tce.

It beggars belief that Aboriginal elders are remaining silent.
Who is convincing them that black is the way for them to be represented as bearers of Aboriginal culture?

Ironically, the new University of Adelaide buildings at the opposite side of North Tce have adopted the original City West colours in deference to good urban design principles as well as good neighbourliness.

One is left with the question as to whether the Aboriginal community, always referred to in Vice-Chancellor’s speeches as the original owners who must be respected, will accept black as their new colour.

Surely someone should give the elders the voice they deserve and satisfy their ambitions, which they so eloquently expressed some 20 years ago.

Guy Maron is an award-winning Adelaide architect

ghs wrote:How many times does the government spend millions of dollars only to make things look worse ?

ghs wrote:
I liked the old colour scheme of blue and yellow. I am not sure why it needed to be changed.

Nathan wrote:

ghs wrote:How many times does the government spend millions of dollars only to make things look worse ?

What would make you think it's a government spend?

serca wrote:No. Uni SA is a state university.