Kevin O’Brien, a Kaurareg–Meriam descendant, Principal Architect at BVN shared his approach to designing with Country and culture front of mind, at the Indigenous Oration on Thursday August 21.

“I am interested in the intersection between culture and modernity. There is a difference between owning and belonging. We design a lot of high rises and that’s a transactional situation, the thing of value, and what matters is the square meterage. When we talk more to the idea of belonging, it affects your behaviour. It’s about identity, character, other things drive us, whether it’s someone’s home or a shared public space. It’s not transactional, it’s absolutely relational, when architecture is in that space, the outcome is a very different one. I enjoy that.”

Presenting the Finding Country Exhibition at the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale sparked a deeper engagement with the arts for Kevin. Collaborations with First Nations creatives—Archie Moore on Kith and Kin for the 2024 Venice Biennale, and Issac Drandic on Dear Son for Queensland Theatre 2025—have shown how the arts reflect and question our national identity.

“In my after-work hours, I move from the traditional practise of architecture to the performing arts, and visual arts. I’m in awe of the creatives who work in those industries, there’s a fire inside them that can’t be put out. When I do those projects it’s incredible therapy for me. Working with creative people at the end of a day of working on big architectural projects, fills my cup.”

For the last five years, a project close to Kevin’s heart has been the design for the National Gallery for Aboriginal Art in Alice Springs.

“We started the project with 18 months of research into Country and community in Alice Springs, Arrernte Country. It made us understand the Country better, as guests. The MacDonnell Ranges have very clear meaning for that community, but we didn’t want to mimic them, just help amplify them. In the same way as architects make space to receive light, we have framed that landscape within the building. It’s the character and identity of that space.” 

By running the atrium to the side, rather than the middle of the gallery, Kevin ensured the whole MacDonnell Ranges can be seen.

“This is a technically resolved, very highly tuned building. It’s about allowing art and culture to come forward. The purpose of this building is to sit back behind it. Parts of that Country are revealed to you as a living, breathing, contemporary of the ‘now’ experience, then on the right, are the rooms for exhibitions so you have culture on both sides.”

The Master, Dr Michael Stepniak, thanked Kevin for presenting the 2025 Indigenous Oration.

“As one of Australia’s most influential Indigenous architects, with a practise deeply grounded in Country and three decades of visionary work, thank you for challenging us to consider how the arts can reveal what has been hidden, call us to deeper listening, and renew our shared commitments to truth, identity, and justice.”