Microsoft incorporates local indigenous culture to build new data centre in West...

Monday, 03 July 2023 09:07

Microsoft incorporates local indigenous culture to build new data centre in Western Sydney

Microsoft has collaborated with indigenous-owned profit-for-purpose Indigital to lead the Land Acknowledgement, an activity recognising the local indigenous culture of the Dharug people. As part of the activity, Indigital has also tapped the Dharug to shape Microsoft's data centre site’s exterior artwork and landscape a design to support cultural connection and inclusion.

According to an Australia Financial Review report, the $1.3 billion data centre is the first major data centre in NSW to get council approval after earlier plans for a separate one was blocked.

Indigital founder and CEO and Cabrogal woman Mikaela Jade led the project bringing together members of the Dharug Nation to be involved in the “Connecting with Country” process.

This process was aligned with the Government Architect NSW’s Connecting with Country draft framework, created to help develop connections with Country to inform the planning, design and delivery of built environment projects in the state.

Indigital facilitated weekly constructive and collaborative meetings, which incorporated traditional Indigenous practices and their role in future development, over an eight-month period.

The project marked the first time that the Cabrogal Clan and wider Dharug Nation had met on Country in more than 100 years.

“The methods we used to connect our culture to Microsoft’s planned data centre site were as old as time,” said Jade. “We came together on Country, spoke to ancestral beings, imagined what Country was like before colonisation, and imagined colour schemes, stories and relationships. We brought that forward to the present and explored how traditional owners and custodians interpret Country now, and imagined what this site will be like in 40 years’ time.”

Indigital trained a machine learning algorithm using traditional imagery to understand interpretations of the Dharug Nation’s resilience.

The algorithm created culturally recognised patterns and imagery that will be reflected in the site’s exterior artwork and landscape design.

Dharug woman, traditional custodian and knowledge holder Julie Bukari Webb said the project ensured Indigenous ways, traditions and perspectives don’t get lost in new builds of critical infrastructure.

“I’m really proud of how we’ve come together in love and unity to create a lot of joy and understanding,” Webb said. “The artwork we created captures all of that in a bundle that will be represented at the Microsoft Kemps Creek Data Centre.” 

Creating jobs and digital skills opportunities for the local community
Microsoft’s new data centre represents investment and long-term commitment to the local community, with the Kemps Creek site expected to fuel jobs growth in Western Sydney.

The company estimates it will require 4,575 construction roles and 18.6 million work hours to build new data centres in Australia, and it intends to fill 25 to 30% of positions with local contractors.

Once fully operational, Microsoft anticipates 300 full-time employees will work at its new data centres in NSW and Victoria.

As part of its support for the Dharug Nation, Microsoft has extended its partnership with Indigital in Western Sydney this year via the Indigital Schools program.

This connects Elders with primary and secondary school students to share cultural knowledge, history and traditions. The program is running in 20 schools across Western Sydney and reaching more than 500 students.

The programme encourages students to leverage the latest technology and upskill for the digital economy. Through the eight curriculum-linked workshops, Elders, local educators and Microsoft are merging cultural knowledge and digital tools for today’s youth.

By using creative apps like Paint 3D, Minecraft and Maya, students are thinking conceptually about cultural questions and creating visual representations of the characters and environments from the stories of Elders.

Recognising Indigenous land rights, ensuring cultural sensitivity and respect, and providing economic opportunity for Indigenous people have been key considerations for Microsoft during the project.

“We’re excited by the demand we’re seeing from customers for Azure in Australia, including unprecedented interest in our cutting-edge AI workloads. We are continuing to invest to meet the capacity requirements, but in a way that meets our ambitious sustainability goals and investments in the communities in which we operate,” said Microsoft Australia managing director Steven Worrall.

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