Jefa Greenaway

Jefa Greenaway is an Australia-born indigenous architect. He is the director of Greenaway Architects and a lecturer at the University of Melbourne.^[1] He is also a co-founder of several organizations intended to support Indigenous peoples pursuing a career in design.^[2][3]

Early life and education

Greenaway designed this art installation at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

Greenaway was born on the Gadigal lands in Sydney.^[4] His father Bert Groves, who died when he was a baby, was an Indigenous civil rights activist, and he was raised in Australia by his mother of German ancestry.^[3]

He received his bachelor's degree at La Trobe University and studied architecture at Melbourne University,^[5] where he was the only Indigenous person in his class.^[3]

Career

Greenaway founded his firm Greenaway Architects with his wife Catherine Drosinos.^[3] Originally only working on projects for residential areas, he focuses on public projects. He co-founded the Indigenous Architecture and Design Australia nonprofit to support Aboriginal Australians in pursuit of design. Greenaway also co-wrote the International Indigenous Design Charter which intends to blend indigenous knowledge with commercial design.^[3]