You can watch the seventh Parlour LAB here!
Parlour LAB 07 brings together two speakers to discuss architecture in multicultural communities at two different scales: Dr Kelum Palipane of the University of Melbourne researches public spaces in diverse neighbourhoods, and Maram Shaweesh of the University of Queensland researches Lebenese migrant architecture at the scale of the dwelling and family. This LAB was a really important discussion that helped to bust some of the dominant myths about Australian society. As a colonised country, migrant architecture has played a role in Australia since the continent was claimed by the British Empire.
The assumption that ethnic minorities are not being accommodated by Australian society was transformed by Maram, who reminded us that ethnic minorities are our society. Kelum advised us that architects need to move away from symbolic representations of different ethnic minorities and design with a socio-spatial understanding of how space is used by different groups. A narrow understanding of how space is used comes from the idea that everyone in Australia is from a similar cultural background. In reality, our cities would become much richer if we learn from how space is used in other cultures. We don’t even have to travel to do this! Architects can use their skills in site analysis to observe socio-spatial use in different neighbourhoods and use this information to design better spaces made for lingering and social contact - inviting people to stay rather than admonishing them for loitering.
At the dwelling scale, ethnic minorities both consume and produce housing. Multi-generational living, working from home, home-schooling, kitchen gardens, cooking needs, entertaining guests and affordability were just some of the factors relevant to people Maram worked with in her research. She found that families and individuals within ethnic groups have different aspirations and needs from their housing. Therefore, designs need to assume that building users will be multicultural and accommodate a variety of needs (not specific needs).
