Elizabeth Grant
CF (23 August 1963 – 5 July 2022) was an Australian architectural
anthropologist
An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...
,
[Owens, Michael (14 May 2014)]
'State slammed over Aboriginal deaths in custody'
The Australian criminologist
Criminology (from Latin , "accusation", and Ancient Greek , ''-logia'', from λόγος ''logos'' meaning: "word, reason") is the study of crime and deviant behaviour. Criminology is an interdisciplinary field in both the behavioural and so ...
and
academic
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...
working in the field of
Indigenous Architecture
The field of Indigenous architecture refers to the study and practice of architecture of, for and by Indigenous people. It is a field of study and practice in the United States, Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada, Arctic area of Sápmi and m ...
. She was a
Churchill Fellow
Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts (WCMT) are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill, based in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. They exist for the purpose of administering Churchill Fellowships, a ...
and held academic positions at The
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
, as Associate Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at
RMIT
RMIT University, officially the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,, section 4(b) is a public research university in Melbourne, Australia.
Founded in 1887 by Francis Ormond, RMIT began as a night school offering classes in art, scienc ...
University's
RMIT School of Architecture and Design
RMIT's School of Architecture and Urban Design is an Australian tertiary education school within the College of Design and Social Context at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University), located in Melbourne, Victoria.
'' A skil ...
,
Adjunct Professor
An adjunct professor is a type of academic appointment in higher education who does not work at the establishment full-time. The terms of this appointment and
the job security of the tenure vary in different parts of the world, however the genera ...
at the
University of Canberra
The University of Canberra (UC) is a public research university with its main campus located in Bruce, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The campus is within walking distance of Westfield Belconnen, and from Canberra's Civic Centre. UC ...
and the
University of Queensland
, mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work
, established =
, endowment = A$224.3 million
, budget = A$2.1 billion
, type = Public research university
, chancellor = Peter Varghese
, vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry
, city = B ...
. She researched, wrote, and was an activist focused on architecture and design with Indigenous peoples as architectural practice and a social movement, and the observance of human rights in institutional architecture (in particular reforms to prison, custodial and court architecture). Her expertise in Indigenous housing and homelessness, design for Indigenous peoples living with disability, and indigenising public places and spaces made her a regular guest on the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...
's
Radio National
Radio National, known on-air as RN, is an Australia-wide public service broadcasting radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). From 1947 until 1985, the network was known as ABC Radio 2.
History
1937: Predecessors an ...
and
ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites. Its programm ...
. She wrote and reviewed architectural projects for architectural magazines such as
Architecture Australia
''Architecture Australia'' is a national magazine covering the practice and works of architects and architecture in Australia. It is published bi-monthly by Architecture Media, and is the journal of the Australian Institute of Architects.
Histor ...
, the journal of the
Australian Institute of Architects
(United we advance architecture)
, predecessor =
, merged =
, successor =
, formation =
, extinction =
, status = Professional body; members association
, headquarters = L1/41 Exhibition St, Melbourne
, leader_title = CEO
, leader_ ...
, and the Australian Design Review.
Career
Grant specialised in the research and design of buildings and environments in the field of
Indigenous architecture
The field of Indigenous architecture refers to the study and practice of architecture of, for and by Indigenous people. It is a field of study and practice in the United States, Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada, Arctic area of Sápmi and m ...
. She promoted the design of humane, culturally appropriate architecture that fits the needs of Indigenous users, to participate in the recognition of the unjust treatment of Indigenous Australians, and to dignify contemporary Indigenous cultures through architectural excellence.
Much of her work examined the design of humane institutional architecture (in particular,
prison
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...
, custodial and
court
A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance ...
architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
) and housing for Indigenous people living with a
disability
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be Cognitive disability, cognitive, Developmental disability, dev ...
. She contributed to Government Inquiries, Coronial
Inquest
An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person's death. Conducted by a judge, jury, or government official, an inquest may or may not require an autopsy carried out by a coro ...
s and
Royal Commissions, including the
to have the conditions of custody and housing improved for Aboriginal peoples, and the segregation and isolation of children detained by the State prohibited.
Grant carried out research on the design of public architecture for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,
and her work led to changes in the way prisons, courts, pre-schools and other environments are designed for Indigenous users nationally and internationally. Her research on the design of prisons for Indigenous prisoners was highly significant and led to new standards and guidelines for the design of custodial environments for Indigenous prisoners. This body of research was recognised by the
International Corrections and Prisons Association
The International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) is a not-for-profit association for prison
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American Englis ...
and honoured in their 2015 awards. Grant was awarded a
Churchill Fellow
Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts (WCMT) are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill, based in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. They exist for the purpose of administering Churchill Fellowships, a ...
and investigated the design of correctional facilities for Indigenous prisoners in the United States, New Zealand, Canada and Denmark for her fellowship. She was a visiting scholar and senior research fellow at a number of universities including
The University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
and
The University of Queensland
, mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work
, established =
, endowment = A$224.3 million
, budget = A$2.1 billion
, type = Public research university
, chancellor = Peter Varghese
, vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry
, city = Br ...
. Her research builds on work of the
Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) (1987–1991), also known as the Muirhead Commission, was a Royal Commission appointed by the Australian Government in October 1987 to Federal Court judge James Henry Muirhead, ...
, of which key recommendations are yet to be actioned.
Grant was a member of the design teams on architectural projects, including Taikurrendi Aboriginal Children and Family Centre,
["Adelaidean - Centres reflect Aboriginal culture". adelaide.edu.au][Grant, E., Colbung, M. and Green, I. (2015). Architecture for Aboriginal Children and Families: A post occupancy evaluation of the Taikurrendi, Gabmididi Manoo and Ngura Yadurirn Aboriginal Children and Family Centres, Adelaide, The University of Adelaide.] Gabmididi Manoo Aboriginal Children and Family Centre,
Ngura Yadurirn Aboriginal Children and Family Centre,
Northern Territory Secure Facilities PPP Project, Royal Adelaide Hospital Redevelopment Project, Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison Project and South Australian Prison Project.
Grant also worked with historians to examine built environments and the treatment of Australian Indigenous peoples in the colonial era. As part of joint research, the myth that a 1500 year old
boab
''Adansonia gregorii'', commonly known as the boab and also known by a number of other names, is a tree in the family Malvaceae, endemic to the northern regions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory of Australia.
Names
The specific ...
tree located near
Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
,
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
, known as the
Boab Prison Tree, Derby
The Baobab Prison Tree, Derby is a 1,500-year-old, large hollow ''Adansonia gregorii'' (Baobab) tree 6 kilometres south of Derby, Western Australia with a girth of 14.7 metres. It had been reputed to have been used in the 1890s as a lockup for ...
was used as a place of incarceration for Aboriginal peoples was dispelled. Grant found that the Derby boab tree was never used as an Aboriginal prison, a holding area or as a staging point, and there was no evidence that anyone had ever been imprisoned in the tree. An article featuring the Derby boab tree dispelling the fictitious stories was featured in the
National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widely ...
. Other historical work included research into the use of chains and restraints in the policing and imprisonment of Australian Aboriginal peoples.
Grant edited
The Handbook of Contemporary Indigenous Architecture (
Springer Publishing
Springer Publishing Company is an American publishing company of academic journals and books, focusing on the fields of nursing, gerontology, psychology, social work, counseling, public health, and rehabilitation (neuropsychology). It was es ...
) co-editing the handbook with prominent scholars, Kelly Greenop from the
University of Queensland
, mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work
, established =
, endowment = A$224.3 million
, budget = A$2.1 billion
, type = Public research university
, chancellor = Peter Varghese
, vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry
, city = B ...
, Albert Refiti from the
Auckland University of Technology
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) ( mi, Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau) is a university in New Zealand, formed on 1 January 2000 when a former technical college (originally established in 1895) was granted university status. AUT ...
and Daniel Glenn, the Principal of Seattle-based, 7 Directions Architecture. The Handbook provides the first comprehensive international overview of significant contemporary
Indigenous architecture
The field of Indigenous architecture refers to the study and practice of architecture of, for and by Indigenous people. It is a field of study and practice in the United States, Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada, Arctic area of Sápmi and m ...
, practice, and discourse, showcasing established, and emerging authors and practitioners from Australia,
Aotearoa, New Zealand, the
Pacific Islands
Collectively called the Pacific Islands, the islands in the Pacific Ocean are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of se ...
, Canada, United States and other countries. The foreword for the handbook was written by internationally acclaimed Canadian
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
,
Douglas Cardinal
Douglas Joseph Cardinal (born 7 March 1934) is a Canadian architect based in Ottawa, Ontario. His flowing architecture marked with smooth curvilinear forms is influenced by his Indigenous heritage as well as European Expressionist architecture.< ...
(
Métis
The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which derives ...
,
Blackfoot
The Blackfoot Confederacy, ''Niitsitapi'' or ''Siksikaitsitapi'' (ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ, meaning "the people" or " Blackfoot-speaking real people"), is a historic collective name for linguistically related groups that make up the Blackfoot or Bla ...
/Kainai
Algonquin
Algonquin or Algonquian—and the variation Algonki(a)n—may refer to:
Languages and peoples
*Algonquian languages, a large subfamily of Native American languages in a wide swath of eastern North America from Canada to Virginia
**Algonquin la ...
).
Grant was a member of the Australian Creative Team (Tristan Wong, Jefa Greenaway, Aaron Puls and Jordyn Milliken) for the
17th Venice Architecture Biennale (originally to be held in 2020), but deferred until 2021 due to the
Covid pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identifi ...
. The exhibit entitled 'In Between' highlights the potential of architecture to build cultural understandings between First Nations Peoples and others with a focus on
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
,
Aotearoa
''Aotearoa'' () is the current Māori-language name for New Zealand. The name was originally used by Māori in reference to only the North Island, with the name of the whole country being ''Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu'' ("North Island and South ...
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and other Pacific neighbours, addressing the overarching theme set by
Hashim Sarkis
Hashim A. Sarkis (Arabic: هاشم سركيس ; born 1964 in Beirut) is a Lebanon, Lebanese educator and architect. Since 2015, Sarkis has been Professor and Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Techn ...
titled “How will we live together?”
Education
Grant was awarded an
undergraduate degree
An undergraduate degree (also called first degree or simply degree) is a colloquial term for an academic degree earned by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. In the United States, it is usually offered at an institution of higher e ...
in architecture from the
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
and was a collegian at
St Ann's College during her studies. Grant later studied and was awarded a
Graduate Diploma and a
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. in
Environmental Studies
Environmental studies is a multidisciplinary academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. Environmental studies connects principles from the physical sciences, commerce/economics, the humanities, and social ...
.
Her master's thesis examined the development of Aboriginal housing at
Oak Valley after
land rights
Land law is the form of law that deals with the rights to use, alienate, or exclude others from land. In many jurisdictions, these kinds of property are referred to as real estate or real property, as distinct from personal property. Land use ...
were granted under
Maralinga Tjarutja
The Maralinga Tjarutja, or Maralinga Tjarutja Council, is the corporation representing the traditional Anangu owners of the remote western areas of South Australia known as the Maralinga Tjarutja lands. The council was established by the ''Mara ...
Land Rights Act. She conducted extended periods of fieldwork at
Oak Valley and
Yalata
Yalata is an Aboriginal community located west of Ceduna and south of Ooldea on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia. It lies on the traditional lands of the Wirangu people, but the settlement began as Yalata Mission in the ea ...
, living with Traditional Owners and Senior Women, resulting in lifelong professional and personal relationships with
Maralinga Tjarutja
The Maralinga Tjarutja, or Maralinga Tjarutja Council, is the corporation representing the traditional Anangu owners of the remote western areas of South Australia known as the Maralinga Tjarutja lands. The council was established by the ''Mara ...
and
Yalata
Yalata is an Aboriginal community located west of Ceduna and south of Ooldea on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia. It lies on the traditional lands of the Wirangu people, but the settlement began as Yalata Mission in the ea ...
Aṉangu
Aṉangu is the name used by members of several Aboriginal Australian groups, roughly approximate to the Western Desert cultural bloc, to describe themselves. The term, which embraces several distinct "tribes" or peoples, in particular the Nga ...
which continued to influence her thinking, professional practice and scholarly development. She is recognised as an Indigenous knowledge holder, and continued to work with Traditional Owners and others on projects to increase equity and further self-determination.
She was awarded a
Doctor of Philosophy
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...
in
Architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
from the
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
for her thesis entitled 'Towards safer and more congruent environments for Aboriginal Prisoners.' The doctoral thesis examined Aboriginal people's preference for prison environments as a mechanism to reduce negative behaviours such as
self-harming
Self-harm is intentional behavior that is considered harmful to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues usually without a suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-injury and self-mutilatio ...
and
deaths in custody
A death in custody is a death of a person in the custody of the police, other authorities or in prison. In the 21st century, death in custody remains a controversial subject, with the authorities often being accused of abuse, neglect, racism and ...
in prison environments, the first empirical study of its type.
Personal life
Grant was born and raised in
Mount Gambier
Mount Gambier is the second most populated city in South Australia, with an estimated urban population of 33,233 . The city is located on the slopes of Mount Gambier, a volcano in the south east of the state, about south-east of the capital Ad ...
spending considerable periods of her childhood with her maternal grandparents and the extended Eames Family in
Sea Lake
Sea Lake is a town in the Mallee district of north-west Victoria, Australia and is situated on the southern shores of Lake Tyrrell. The town is located on the Calder Highway, north-west of Melbourne, and west of Swan Hill. Sea Lake is in the ...
,
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
. Her German immigrant father, Berthold Enderl valued education highly due to interrupted schooling and experiences growing up during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
in
Regensburg
Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the f ...
,
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
and encouraged his children to study and work hard. He stated "education is the only thing that cannot be taken away from you." Grant is the niece of the Erster
Bürgermeister
Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, literally "master of the town, master of the borough, master of the fortress, master of the citizens") is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief m ...
of Regensburg (1952–59),
Hans Herrmann
Hans Herrmann (born 23 February 1928) is a retired Formula One and sports car racing driver from Stuttgart, Germany.
In F1, he participated in 19 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 2 August 1953. He achieved 1 podium, and scored a ...
. Her education was encouraged and supported by his wife, Johannna Enderl, and Grant became the first family member to complete secondary education and attend university.
Grant lived in
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
and
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and was married to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
-born,
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...
,
bluegrass musician, Leonard (Tamahae) Cohen, (
Te Whānau-ā-Apanui
Te Whānau-ā-Apanui is a Māori iwi (Iwi is the Maori word for tribe) located in the eastern Bay of Plenty and East Coast regions of New Zealand's North Island. In 2006, the iwi registered 11,808 members, representing 13 hapū.
History
Early ...
) a founding member of the
Hamilton County Bluegrass Band and other bands. Grant has three sons, Todd, Paul and Tim. She appeared with her eldest son, lawyer and economist,
Todd
Todd or Todds may refer to:
Places
;Australia:
* Todd River, an ephemeral river
;United States:
* Todd Valley, California, also known as Todd, an unincorporated community
* Todd, Missouri, a ghost town
* Todd, North Carolina, an unincorporated ...
Grant, on
the third season of ''
The Amazing Race Australia
''The Amazing Race Australia'' is an Australian adventure reality game show based on the international ''Amazing Race'' franchise. Following the premise of other versions of the format, the show follows teams of two as they race around the wor ...
.''
[Who Magazine (11 August 2013)'The Amazing Race' Who Magazine p.83]
References
External links
Profile RMIT UniversityElizabeth Grant Academia PageExpert Guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grant, Elizabeth
1963 births
Australian anthropologists
Australian women anthropologists
Australian criminologists
Australian women criminologists
South Australian architects
University of Adelaide alumni
University of Adelaide faculty
Australian architecture writers
Australian women academics
People from Mount Gambier, South Australia
RMIT University faculty
University of Queensland alumni
University of Canberra alumni
The Amazing Race contestants
2022 deaths