News has reached the Old Paradians' Association regarding James Gilliland (2007) excelling in his chosen career of architecture.  James is the nephew of long time staff member and OPA Committeeman John Ramsdale (1967).

James was recently a keynote speaker at an Architecture Conference in Hobart where he delivered a presentation titled Case study, Designing a paradigm for Indigenous social housing. James also does some work for RMIT Design students. See Deakin Univeristy's alumni story about James.

Below is a small snapshot of James’s professional career. James is an outstanding young Old Paradian.

As architects, we're in a privileged position, shaping the lives and health of people and habitats. We have a responsibility to make sure we're changing things for the better.

James is the great-grandson of a proud Yorta Yorta man and a leader of Clarke Hopkins Clarke’s Indigenous Design Group (IDG), a team of 30 people in every sector of the practice working to embed meaningful engagement and co-design with Traditional Custodians and other First Nations stakeholders on our projects. A highly respected senior architect and project leader in our Multi-residential team, James is responsible for a project’s progression through all stages of design and delivery. His broad experience includes Indigenous social housing and community facilities, and diverse residential and hospitality projects including ESD exemplar Lt Miller-NGBE, winner of PCA and UDIA awards in 2021 for innovation and excellence.

One of only a handful of First Nations architects in Australia, James understands and advocates for Country-focused design principles and opportunities on our projects and is central to our practice’s mission to Impact Tomorrow.

He is currently leading one of Aboriginal Housing Victoria’s first multi-residential apartment developments, which through close collaboration with Indigenous landscape designers, RMIT design students, the client and tenants is helping to re-imagine Indigenous social housing In Australia. Culturally significant landscaping including productive gardens create opportunities for tenants to practice and share culture. Considered architectural forms and materials and a prominent Elder residence create space and focus for cultural leadership.