After a decade spent refining their Country-led approach to design, Arcadia has expanded its offering in Connecting and Designing with Country with the establishment of the Arcadia First Nations Consultancy in the first half of 2025.
Led by Luciano Svagelli, this commitment continues Arcadia’s ethos that every project includes First Nations knowledge, engagement and understanding; it all begins with Country. Luci is a descendant of the Pitjantjara and Luritja peoples from the central deserts and was raised within the Redfern Aboriginal community. He is working alongside Noah Orman, proud Birri and Guugu Yimithirr man, to deepen Arcadia’s relationships with First Nations communities and provide the connections and consultation for the property industry.
“Under the New South Wales Government Architect’s Connecting with Country Framework, the NSW built environment has been committed to developing a Country-centred approach, guided by Aboriginal people, to inform the planning, design and delivery of projects. While it’s been gratifying to see this industry-wide commitment, the pressure placed on such a small proportion of the population to share their knowledge and skills is evident, and this is one of the reasons we established have the Arcadia First Nations Consultancy,” says Alex Longley, Managing Director of Arcadia.
“Luci and his team are working with developers, architects, urban designers and other consultants, to provide services and connections that support the growing demand for First Nations consulting. They’re focused on ensuring the appropriate processes, cultural protocols, and alignment with Cultural Intellectual Property is maintained, while facilitating co-design programs and processes to deliver meaningful and efficient experiences, through all stages of built environment projects.”
Arcadia’s First Nations Design Services include:
/ Walkshop preparation, facilitation and reporting
/ Connecting With Country Reports
/ Designing with Country Reports
/ Design integration, storytelling and idea translation
/ Co-design
/ Community engagement and relationship building
Please get in touch with Luci or Alex if you’d like to discuss a project with the First Nations Design Consultancy at lucianos@arcadiala.com.au or alexl@arcadiala.com.au.
