Parlour is delighted to welcome you to On the Verandah, a new online discussion series convened by Debjani Sarkar and Lameesa Yousuf – a platform for frank, fearless and friendly conversations that increase opportunity for those marginalised through cultural background and gender.
On the Verandah highlights the value of cultural background and intercultural literacy – within practice and beyond – and creates a space for discussions that focus on increasing access and opportunity for practitioners who are marginalised in multiple ways. It is a forum for both speculative discussion and practical advice, which aims to catalyse actionable change within the architecture community.
The Verandah is a space to dissect the uncomfortable interstices of marginalisation within our profession. It is a reminder to those who may feel under-represented within practice that they are not alone and that there is a way forward through advocating for each other.
Each month, Debjani and Lameesa will welcome guest speakers to the Verandah for lively, topical conversations.
We start the series on a positive, productive note. The first session, “What do we Bring”, will explore the perspectives and possibilities that a multicultural background brings. The second, “Advocating for Yourselves” focuses on communication, confidence and culture. Sessions in 2025 will tackle a range of topics, including some of those challenging conversations we have to have!
What’s in a name?
The verandah is a space of shelter, a place to gather between public and private worlds. It is a place to gather and talk, to exchange ideas and share knowledge.
The word verandah traverses many cultures – in Bengali bārāndā, in Hindi varaṇḍā, in Portuguese varanda, in Spanish baranda. It is thought to have come into English via India.
On the Verandah is committed to the cross-cultural significance of communal knowledge sharing. It is a communal meeting place, a platform that supports the coincidental cross-fertilisation of ideas.
Who are we?
Debjani and Lameesa are two people who are eager to curate a space for discussion, sharing of resources, knowledge and access to pathways for practitioners who are marginalised at all intersections – our focus, however, is on cultural background
Our interests lie in addressing the intersections of racially motivated exclusion and discrimination that remain suppressed beneath a veil of secrecy and the “we don’t talk about that” mentality.
To find out more, watch clips from Debjani and Lameesa in the 2024 Sydney Spring Salon.
A note about pricing
We understand that life circumstances ebb and flow, and we don’t want costs to be a barrier – so if you are not in a financial position to purchase a ticket at the moment, send us a quick email and we will give you a complimentary ticket, no questions asked.
Ticket fees cover the costs of running the series, and help ensure Parlour can keep supporting conversations that matter.
CPD & learning objectives
Formal CPD is available for each session. We provide a set of questions for each session, which will ask you to reflect on what you have learned, and what it means in the context of your professional practice.
The response is submitted via an online form. You will receive an email with a PDF certificate of your responses. Please keep the response email for your records. If you don’t get the email, please check your spam folder.
Learning objectives
The On the Verandah learning objectives are as follows:
- To increase intercultural competency and literacy, with the office and beyond.
- To support effective and respectful communication
- To increase understanding about resources, knowledge and pathways for practitioners who are marginalised at intersections of cultural background and gender
- To explore and highlight the value of multicultural backgrounds to practice – in terms of design quality, creative thinking, practice management and client and community engagement
On the Verandah sessions includes content relevant to the 2021 National Standards of Competency for Architects Professionalism, Communication and Environmental Practice Capabilities.
Professionalism encompasses the capacity to understand and enact the role and responsibilities of architects within evolving architectural, social, cultural, ethical, legal, technical and business contexts. This includes understanding community values and obligations around equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion, embedding these within the provision of architectural services, and understanding how they impact Country, colleagues, clients, stakeholders and broader communities.
Communication capabilities encompass the ability to clearly convey and explain the roles and responsibilities of an architect, to coherently and respectfully communicate within workplace and project contexts, and to articulate the value an architect contributes.
Environmental practice capabilities include: “Promoting health, integrating accessibility for all, and respecting the diversity of culture, gender and experience in our communities.”
