Ten years after its launch, DLG SHAPE is celebrating the projects, partnerships and people that have helped turn a shared vision into a nat
Established in 2016 through a partnership between the David Liddiard Group and SHAPE, the majority Aboriginal-owned business brought together construction expertise and a commitment to creating greater economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
That purpose has helped shape DLG SHAPE’s position within the construction industry. The company is Supply Nation certified and became the first Aboriginal construction business to join the Green Building Council of Australia.
In ten years, DLG SHAPE has grown into a national construction business with 205 completed projects and $385 million in total revenue. Behind that growth is a decade of quality project delivery, long-term partnerships and a commitment to increasing Indigenous participation across the industry.
“Ten years on, the scale of what we have delivered is something to be proud of, but the real achievement is the capability, relationships and Indigenous businesses that have grown alongside us. That is the legacy we want to continue building: quality work that creates lasting value for our clients, communities and future generations.”
DLG SHAPE’s portfolio now spans government workplaces, education facilities, Defence projects and community spaces across Australia. It includes the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Working Your Way workplace in Canberra, Swinburne University student accommodation upgrades in Victoria and Zurich’s Perth office.
While the projects differ in size, location and purpose, each reflects an approach built around collaboration and considered delivery. The strength of those client relationships is reflected in DLG SHAPE’s +87 Net Promoter Score.
One of the team’s most significant achievements came in 2024, when the Koorie Heritage Trust Building Expansion at Melbourne’s Federation Square won the $5 million to $10 million fitout category at both the Victorian and national Master Builders awards.
Working with a design team led by Lyons alongside Greenaway Architects and Architecture Associates, DLG SHAPE delivered new galleries, education facilities and gathering spaces across three levels of the Birrarung Building. Construction was carefully staged so part of the centre could remain operational, allowing the Trust to continue sharing First Peoples art, culture and knowledge throughout the works.
The project represents one part of a wider portfolio shaped by Indigenous organisations and communities.
In Perth, DLG SHAPE worked with Hassell and project partners to deliver the Indigenous Desert Alliance’s Desert Hub. Yarning sessions with members and rangers helped inform a welcoming place where Indigenous rangers and their organisations could meet, work and connect.
In Adelaide, The Circle, First Nations Entrepreneurs Hub created new office facilities to support Indigenous businesses. In Sydney, DLG SHAPE returned to Tranby following an earlier pro bono refurbishment to deliver the Story Keeping Place, providing facilities for recording, preserving and sharing First Nations stories and oral histories.
Creating opportunities through construction is central to how DLG SHAPE operates. Across its first decade, the business engaged 32 Indigenous suppliers and subcontractors and spent $7.78 million through its Indigenous supply chain. Its commitment includes a minimum target of 10% local Indigenous engagement on every project, helping connect the company’s purpose with the way its work is planned and delivered.
That commitment also extends beyond commercial projects. Together with SHAPE and generous project partners, DLG SHAPE has contributed to pro bono refurbishments for Tranby, Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Space, Yurungai Learning Centre, Redfern Youth Connect and Mudgin-Gal Women’s Place.
At Mudgin-Gal Women’s Place in inner-city Sydney, volunteers and project partners contributed more than $84,000 in time and donated materials to improve the organisation’s facilities. The 2024 refurbishment delivered a new kitchen, updated appliances, joinery and repairs, helping Mudgin-Gal continue providing a welcoming place for Aboriginal women and families.
DLG SHAPE has also supported students through donations of laptops, books and sporting supplies, extending its contribution beyond project delivery and into the communities connected to its work.
The achievements of the past ten years have been made possible by the people and partnerships behind the work. As DLG SHAPE enters its second decade, it will continue building on that foundation through quality construction, strong relationships and greater opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and businesses.
Watch the anniversary video to look back at the projects, people and partnerships that have shaped DLG SHAPE’s first ten years.
