The materials used for the Cathedral are mainly Brisbane Tuff, a type of rock formed by volcanic eruption. Just as the Jaggera and Turrbal people were displaced from their country, the stone used for the structure was excavated from its land and made into a building.

St John’s Cathedral has the only fully stone-vaulted ceiling in the southern hemisphere. Inside the cathedral, there are 12 bells which date to 1876, and are named after the deans and administrators of the Cathedral, since 1925.

The store is in the John Mills Himself Building, which is a heritage-listed warehouse now functioning as a café and bar. It is the largest second-hand bookstore in Queensland. The business was established in 1985 by Emmanuel Mescher, who passed down thousands of unique and rare books. The store also prides themselves on their assembly of “scarce” and “unusual” books.

The interior of the store was a sensory experience. The smell of antique books fills the atmosphere, while the dim lighting produces the feeling of mystery. Majority of books in the store is discolored and delicate, which adds to its own character. In the inner room of the store, there are desks and chairs to provide readers with a place to sit, while the details of the cornices, chandeliers and door frames show the history of the site.

These doors are made to last up to ten years while being exposed to the elements, and for Brisbane visitors to spot. Not all the doors last ten years though – some disappear after a while, either due to damage or other mysterious reasons.

According to Medium.com, Mace Robinson has no plans to stop making these tiny doors. So far, many businesses and even universities have ordered these tiny doors to be displaced at their locations, making these tiny sculptures to be weaved into Brisbane’s cultural fabric.

Another topic of discussion was the displacement of Indigenous people and Country. Just as Indigenous people were physically removed and displaced, it is an uncommon thought that materials in Country, such as rock, wood etc were also removed. From this, we must appreciate that country is truly all around us not only in the way of local flora and fauna, or land, but they are also incorporated into the building blocks in the buildings and structures we utilize every day. During the lecture, there was an idea of being “enviro-centric” and harmonizing nature with design. This is an essential element of Designing with Country, where we not only make a connection with the indigenous community, but also considering other aspects of Country, such as the water, sky, season, and air.

Design is an ever-evolving element in Brisbane, particularly in areas like Burnett Lane and Lower Burnett Lane. Many artists infuse their unique style into the urban fabric, such as graffiti and doodles onto the facade of buildings as well as the very ground we walk on. These art pieces challenge the traditional notions of scale, which offers viewers a fresh perspective on modern art, especially when it's tucked away in a small alley, hidden from the foot traffic. These spaces "illustrate" how modernity can co-exist with the historical core of the city, demonstrating an interconnectedness of Brisbane's cultural and physical landscape. It is a city with historical layers and local contributions, making it a city filled with living stories.

Appropriate to context - It challenges the Queens Gardens' colonial and political context and attempts to connect it with indigenous roots.

Respectful to Country - The main purpose of the insertion is to connect the site to Country

Freely Accessible - Unfortunately, people who have mobility disabilities may have difficulty getting to the top of the stairs, but it doesn't stop them from using the benches at the back (see more in Assessment 2 submission).

Specific purpose - Provoking thought of how this connects Country with the site, the stairs allow users to climb to the top, observing all four Heritage Buildings and the Brisbane River. It also provides shade for users of Queens Gardens (lunch break, picnic, gathering with friends), provides seating for those who need it, and during night time, the projectors reveal a light show that at the same time can bring attention to a current topic.

The second and main lesson I learned this semester is the importance of how structures interact with their surroundings. In the beginning, I started by creating an insertion without considering the site. This led me to run into difficulties when trying to put my insertion into my site. For a change, I decided to visit my site, and at different times and I was able to collect data - such as observing people's activities, how many people where present, or their reason for visiting. During studio sessions, I also learned how to conduct a comprehensive site analysis, including studying foot traffic or assessing the influence of natural elements such as sun path, shade, or the views from a point. As a designer, I grew to understand that for each element I could either embrace or mitigate these factors. For example, mapping out the sun's path allowed me to envision how my insertion can shape people's experiences when using the space. At first, I thought of hiding people from sunlight, but ultimately I decided to embrace the sunlight. Through this process, I was able to design an insertion that complements the site, and I realized that the site itself was shaping and guiding my insertion design.

The third lesson I learned is that architectural insertions can serve as more than a physical structure, they can also engage with the cultural and social landscape. Queens Gardens is a site that is rich in colonial and political history, and through my insertion, I attempted to connect it to the local social context, particularly the Indigenous community. By focusing on elements of nature (the sun), I hoped to reference "Country". As a part of this process, I reached out to admins of the Turrbal.com website and Instagram to seek their feedback on a project like this. Despite not receiving a response, I still attempted to embed an Indigenous element and engagement into my design process. I realized that different communities engage with public spaces in varying ways, shaped by historical events and human interaction. I sought to make this interaction as positive and respectful as possible, and from this I came to understand that a design must address not only physical and natural aspects of the site, but also social and historical contexts.

For a site like Queens Gardens, the land has been drastically disturbed due to historical clearing and development, leaving little to no cultural heritage elements. Nonetheless, it is still crucial that future changes to this land, or any other land must consider its cultural and environmental significance. In my project, my goal is to reintegrate the concept of "COuntry" into Queens Gardens, to create a place honouring Indigenous culture while connecting non-Indigenous people to these elements.

As an example, what makes a guideline like “Caring for Country” truly inclusive and respectful isn’t simply the inclusion of Indigenous artwork. It is rather the active involvement of Indigenous communities. The NSW government invited representatives from the Daug, Dharawal, Gundungurra (and more), in its creation, to ensure voices are deeply values to the document’s development. This example is a “role model” approach that is beyond visual acknowledgement, prioritizing Indigenous knowledge by putting it directly into the framework. As designers ourselves, this is the type of process we should put into out projects.

To practically apply this reflection, it is clear that non-indigenous designers must actively incorporate indigenous knowledge into their work. Thinking back to Owen Cafe's lecture, we must remember to not accidentally "take advantage" of Indigenous communities/individuals to meet quota, or to create something out of "tokenism". The "Caring for Country" document emphasizes that consulting with local Indigenous communities during the design process is not only a respectful gesture but also an imperative and necessary step to foster a sustained connection to the land. This practice is at the core of co-design, to ensure the product honours Country through integrating traditional knowledge systems. This approach allows designers to create projects that are meaningful in terms of cultural, social and physical elements even when the product itself doesn't include an Indigenous "look. This way, spaces can be culturally respectful and preserve the values of Indigenous communities.

The design will occupy approximately 100m^2 of space while emphasising an open and accessible environment. This insertion will foster reflection and interaction among visitors while blending heritage and modern concepts. Interplaying between the intricate historical buildings surrounding queens garden, this minimal structure aim to invite visitors to explore the site's history while considering its future. Balancing between structure and void can allow experimentation of sunlight, wind and rain, which will create a sensory experience for people who visit the insertion. At the same time, the insertion will act as a picnic area to provide shelter for people who frequent the place during lunch breaks or tourists. Additionally, the top area of my insertion can act as a resting area or a place for children to play and interact with one another. This idea seeks to create a meaningful space that caters to all demographic, and be a fun change to the historical and serious atmosphere of Brisbane.