In this episode, Alison Brooks shares her perspective on the word “innovation” and whether ingenuity can be meaningful in design today.
Yitpi Yartapuultiku (The Soul of Port Adelaide) is a living cultural centre located on Kaurna Country. It was designed by Ashley Halliday Architects together with the Yitpi Yartapuultiku Aboriginal Working Group and Wax Design, and is an exemplar of what a project can achieve when led by First Nations people.
Yitpi Yartapuultiku has been recognised with several major design awards since completion, including the Sir Zeman Cowen Award for Public Architecture at the 2026 Australian Institute of Architects National Awards. This is the country’s highest accolade for public architecture.
In celebration of this, our guests for this episode are two people central to the design.
Aunty Susan Dixon, Kaurna representative and leading community member, and Ashley Halliday, director of Ashley Halliday Architects. The conversation shares candid stories of the design process and reflects on the beauty of complexity.
Yitpi Yartapuultiku Aboriginal Cultural Centre by Ashley Halliday Architects and Wax Design
2026 Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture
2026 David Oppenheim Award for Sustainable Architecture
2026 Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture
Design Speaks Weekly is presented in partnership with the Australian Institute of Architects. A fresh episode will be delivered every Tuesday. You can listen to it on major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Amazon Music and Pocket Casts .
In this episode, Alison Brooks shares her perspective on the word “innovation” and whether ingenuity can be meaningful in design today.
In this episode, Marina Tabassum speaks about the changing perception of what makes something architecture during her recent visit to Australia.
