Designing with Story, Country and Community: An Invitation to Experience “Alison Page: Creative Shape Shifter”

There’s something special about the moments where design, culture and learning come together, and an upcoming exhibition in Melbourne is a perfect example of that in action. Supported by LEA member practice ClarkeHopkinsClarke, Alison Page: Creative Shape Shifter is opening as part of Melbourne Design Week, offering our community a meaningful opportunity to engage with First Nations design thinking in a way that feels both practical and inspiring.

As the first solo exhibition by Alison Page, it brings together more than 25 years of multidisciplinary work spanning everything from public art and interiors to film and environmental design.

What makes this particularly relevant to the Learning Environments Australasia community is the way Alison’s work centres on Designing with Country. It’s a concept that resonates strongly with how we think about learning environments not just as physical spaces, but as places shaped by story, culture and connection.

The exhibition (and its accompanying education guide) reinforces the idea that design is a form of storytelling, where the built environment becomes an extension of Country and a way of strengthening belonging for those who use it.

For educators and designers alike, there’s a real opportunity here to take these ideas and translate them into practice. The education guide developed for the exhibition, supported by ClarkeHopkinsClarke, offers hands-on, classroom ready activities that encourage students to think differently about design.

Whether it’s creating visual “recipes” to tell personal stories or developing Songlines that map knowledge across a school, these exercises challenge students to embed meaning, memory and identity into the spaces around them. It’s exactly the kind of thinking that helps shape more inclusive, thoughtful and future-focused learning environments.

More broadly, this exhibition is a reminder of the role our industry plays in elevating First Nations voices and creating pathways for future designers. It invites all of us - whether we’re working in education, architecture or planning - to reflect on how we engage with Country and community in our own projects. It’s not just about visiting an exhibition; it’s about continuing the conversation and bringing those insights back into the spaces we help create.

Schools and groups can organise visits via the University of Melbourne Schools Hub, or direct enquiries to the exhibition team.

Plan your visit

Exhibition: Alison Page: Creative Shape Shifter
Dates: Saturday 16 May - Wednesday 1 July 2026
Location: Design Gallery, Glyn Davis Building
University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC

Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday, 10am to 4pm