HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous and Design Symposium

May 27, 2017 Wabano Centre for Aboriginal ,

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International IndigenousEagle Feather Architecture Fan, Blackfoot and Crossing Design HistoricalSymposium Park, AB| 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3

ABOUT THE RAIC INDIGENOUS TASK FORCE 5 ABOUT THE ROYAL ARCHITECTURAL INSTITUTE OF 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 7 ATTENDEES 8 SESSION ONE / KORA SESSIONS FROM 1. Cultural Magnitude: Interactive visual mapping - a hybrid network for indigenous data 11 2. Te Kawenata o Rata: A covenant between New Zealand Institute of Architects and Ngã Aho, the society of Mãori design professionals 12 3. The evolution of Aotearoa, New Zealand as a critical factor in cultural resilience 13 4. Papakãinga Design Principles and Applications 14 5. Decolonizing the Colonial City 15 6. Te Aranga Design Principles 16 7. Ngã Aho: Network of Mãori Design Professionals 18 SESSION TWO / RESPECTING THE LAND & IDENTITY 1. Cultural sensitivity and environmental responsibility 20 2. for the Future: Passive House for Indigenous Communities 24 3. Blackfoot Crossing: The Building Form as a Metaphor for Traditional Knowledge 28 SESSION THREE / CREATING CONSENSUS & ENGAGEMENT 1. Architecture and Consent 33 2. Urban Engagements for Indigenous People 36 3. Original Teachings: ‘Grandfathered Into’ an Architecture of Reconciliation 38 SESSION FOUR / INDIGENOUS DESIGN: TOOLS, METHODS & PROCESSES 1. Re-Operationalizing Indigenous : Architecture as Storytelling 42 2. Exploring Conciliation through Architecture Nehiyawak (Plains ) Perspective 46 3. Aboriginal Form – Not Just a Wrapping to Functionality: Cultural Expression Resulting from Community Consultation 50 GATHERING CIRCLES / 54 DESIGN-BUILD INITIATIVE VOICES 56 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The RAIC International Indigenous opment, and consider the reciprocal Architecture and Design Symposium well-being and quality of life of the took place in Ottawa on May 27, 2017. people.” Held in conjunction with the RAIC’s The one-day symposium was held annual Festival of Architecture, the on the unceded traditional territory symposium was the first project un- of the Algonquin Anishinabek. Elder dertaken by the RAIC Indigenous Albert Dumont smudged the room Task Force. and gave the opening prayer. The ven- With 160 registered delegates, it ue was the Wabano Centre, designed attracted a broad cross-section of In- by Canadian architect Douglas Cardi- digenous participants as well as archi- nal, FRAIC, of Blackfoot, Métis and tects, designers, and other profession- European ancestry. als working in Indigenous contexts. The RAIC 2017 President, Ewa Bi- Dr. Patrick Luugigyoo Stewart, eniecka, FIRAC, introduced Mr. Car- MRAIC, chair of the RAIC Indige- dinal, an internationally-recognized nous Task Force, welcomed partici- Elder in Indigenous architecture and pants and explained that the task force community planning. He spoke about seeks to celebrate and expand Indige- the ’ thousands of nous architecture and design in Cana- years of knowledge and presence on da and around the globe. The sympo- these lands that should be expressed sium with its theme of Reconciliation, through an architecture of beauty, Place-Making, and Identity, is an im- balance, and harmony. portant step in the journey, he said. “It is important for Indigenous na- “Too often First Nation, Métis, tions to restore the traditions of ma- and Inuit capital projects are designed tricultural society that respect nature with minimal community involve- and women,” he added. ment, and ultimately fail to meet com- More than 20 Indigenous archi- munity objectives for this reason,” tects, designers and other profession- said Dr. Stewart. “We need designers als, students and interns – from Can- and designs that can create long-term ada, the , New Zealand relevance, exemplify a respectful cul- and – presented as speakers, tural and economic and environmen- panelists, and moderators. While the tal responsibility to sustainable devel- presentations were remarkable for

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 3 their diversity of topics and the many Indigenous nations and repre- • These designs resonate and contribute positively to healing, cultural trans- sented, some overarching themes emerged. mission, and reconciliation when they are rooted in Indigenous teachings • Architecture has an important role in giving agency back to Indigenous and cultures, values, themes, symbolism, form, and natural materials. people to reclaim their heritage, reconnect with their learnings and tradi- • Indigenous architecture is an international movement, providing mutual tions, and express their culture and aspirations. learning, support, and effective practices, such as the Maori Responsiveness • Architecture is a powerful means to imprint on the urban, rural and North- Design Principles for decision-making on design, planning, procurement, ern landscapes the thousands of years of knowledge and presence of Indig- and service delivery adopted by Auckland, New Zealand. enous peoples. • Through education and practice, Indigenous architecture offers a regener- • The design process in Indigenous architecture and community planning is ative voice and new solutions to challenge and amend the colonial world- fundamental where Elders, community, architects, and designers together view that dominates the architecture and community design landscape. create a common vision. The feeling of optimism, energy, and momentum at the symposium inspired • Indigenous values of culture, connection, community, respect, reciprocity, members of the task force, led by Mr. Cardinal, to submit a proposal to the Can- harmony with the natural world and environmental sustainability are at the ada Council for the Arts to represent Canada at the 2018 Venice Biennale in Ar- heart of the process and the design. chitecture. The proposal, titled UNCEDED: Voices of the Land, was accepted

4 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium and the winning entry was announced Jake Chakasim, Wanda Dalla cate with and on behalf of Indigenous tices and processes in Indigenous ar- on September 19, 2017 in Toronto at Costa, David Fortin, MRAIC, communities. The RAIC and the ITF chitecture and design and celebrate the RAIC Moriyama International Alain Fournier, FIRAC, Ryan members believe that architecture is Indigenous design, architecture, and Prize gala. The 2018 Venice Biennale in Gorrie, MRAIC, Ray Gosselin, a public-spirited profession with an place-making. Architecture takes place from May 26 Matthew Hickie, Rachelle Le- important role in reconciliation – ad- The working group sought a mix of to November 25, 2018. mieux, Kateri Lucier-Laboucan, dressing injustices by giving agency presentations providing innovative ex- The RAIC International Archi- Daniel Millette, Brian Porter, back to Indigenous people. amples in urban spaces, as well as in rural, tecture and Design Symposium was MRAIC, Ouri Scott, MRAIC, Across Canada, there are an esti- remote, and northern First Nations, In- a day of inspiration, architectural ex- Bill Semple, MRAIC, Eladia mated 16 registered Indigenous ar- uit, and Métis communities. Proponents citement, and new connections. Smoke, Jason Surkan, Cheyenne chitects, many of whom are members were asked to demonstrate sensitivity to The RAIC extends a sincere thank Thomas, David Thomas, and of the task force. All members are Indigenous values of culture, connec- you to all who contributed to the Alfred Waugh, MRAIC.) committed to increasing this number, tion, community, respect, reciprocity, event’s success. strengthening the network, increas- harmony with the natural world, and • Elder Albert Dumont ABOUT THE RAIC ing the profile of Indigenous archi- environmental sustainability. INDIGENOUS TASK FORCE tecture and design, and collaborating • All the delegates who traveled The RAIC received 68 proposals with similar organizations in New from across Canada, as well as New from near and far to attend the The Royal Architectural Institute Zealand and the United States. They Zealand, Australia, the United States, symposium of Canada (RAIC) Indigenous Task determined that an international sym- and , to fill 12 spaces on the Force (ITF) was officially launched • RAIC staff posium would be an effective inaugu- symposium panels. As a result, the on June 9, 2016, in Snuneymuxw ral project to advance these objectives • Consultant Louise Atkins working group made the unanimous territory (Nanaimo, British Colum- and as a starting point for other mean- decision to privilege Indigenous voic- • Volunteer Barb De Ruyter bia) during the 2016 RAIC Festival ingful initiatives. es for the first symposium and con- • Sponsors, partners, presenters of Architecture. Over 30 individuals To plan the symposium, the Indig- sidered only speakers self-identifying and moderators who are Indigenous or who work in enous Task Force formed a working as Indigenous. The working group Indigenous contexts are members of group that defined the symposium • Wabano Centre staff made its selection in December 2016: the ITF, including architects, design- objectives: building the Indigenous selected speakers represented a broad • Members of the RAIC Indige- ers, academics, intern architects, and Task Force network; increasing its nous Task Force working group architecture students. public profile; and featuring key top- diversity of Canada’s regions, types of (Patrick Stewart, MRAIC, Allan The purpose of the ITF is to foster ics of interest. design expertise, and age. Teramura, PP/FRAIC, James and promote Indigenous design and The RAIC launched an open call Bird, Calvin Brook, FRAIC, architecture in Canada in rural, Métis for presenters in October 2016. The Harriet Burdett-Moulton, FRA- and Northern communities, First Na- call invited proposals for short pre- IC, Douglas Cardinal, FRAIC, tions and urban spaces, and to advo- sentations that focus on best prac-

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 5 ABOUT THE ROYAL ARCHITECTURAL INSTITUTE OF CANADA

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada is the leading voice for excellence in the built environment in Canada. Representing about 5,000 members the RAIC advocates for excellence, works to demonstrate how design enhances the quality of life and promotes responsible architecture in addressing important issues of society.

www.raic.org

6 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The RAIC International Indigenous chitectural students and professors to Architecture and Design Sympo- attend the symposium. sium was made possible through the ’s Azrieli School generous support of sponsors from of Architecture and Urbanism led the business, government, academia, and Gathering Circles design-build proj- not-for-profit/non-governmental or- ect. The school generously donated ganizations. the time and resources of faculty, staff, We extend our thanks to the Ti- architecture students, and studio facili- tle Sponsor, Stantec Architecture, ties for this project and engaged Gignul which was represented at the sym- Non-Profit Housing Corporation El- posium by Stantec Vice-President of ders and staff in the design process. Aboriginal Affairs and Indigenous The RAIC appreciates the help of engineer, Denise Pothier. the universities. We also express appreciation to our The Patrons Fund is an opportuni- ty for patron organizations, including Supporting Sponsors, Dialog and Par- the RAIC, to receive grants in honour kin Architects. of Her Royal Highness, Queen Eliza- Special thanks go to BC Housing beth II. The RAIC thanks the Patrons as the Title Sponsor for the sympo- Fund for facilitating attendance of 15 sium report. Indigenous architectural students and The RAIC acknowledges the gen- interns by supporting their registra- erous grant received through the tion and related costs. Global Opportunities for Associ- Many thanks to Lu’ma Native ation’s program of Global Affairs Housing Society, Elder Albert Du- Canada. This grant made it possible mont, and Linda Lavallee for donat- to subsidize the costs of international ing gifts for the international delegates speakers from New Zealand, Austra- and the prize draws. lia, and the United States. All of these generous sponsors Several schools of architecture, provided the means to offer the sym- including Laurentian University, the posium and empowered the work of The Highlights Report was produced by Jason Surkan University of , Uni- the RAIC Indigenous Task Force. versity of Toronto and the University and RAIC staff. We are deeply grateful. Thank you. of Waterloo supported Indigenous ar- Merci. Meegwetch.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 7 ATTENDEES

Candice Anderson K. Jake Chakasim Danielle Desjarlais Odile Henault Idoia Arana-Beobide Shirley Chambers Sylvie Desmarais Elisapeta Heta Joshua Armstrong Jody Ciufo Émélie Desrochers-Turgeon Geoff Hodgins Louise Atkins Krystel Clark Paul Dowsett Rau Hoskins Manuel Baez Robert Comeau Ann Marie Duggan Nicole Howard Marc Bartolucci John Cook Albert Dumont Mikaela J. Hughes Marc Bertrand Maria Cook Carolyne Fontaine Bohdana Innes Ewa Bieniecka Paul Cooper David T. Fortin Barry Johns James Bird Jutta Court Alain Fournier Ted Jojola Jonathan Bisson Michael Cox Maud Francoeur Michaela Jones Susan C. Black Shayna-Lucy Curle Allegra Friesen Jade Kake Lucy Bonanno Jennifer Cutbill Antonio Gomez-Palacio Dani Kastelein Vlad Bortnowski Wanda Dalla Costa Dean Goodman Vanessa Keilback Calvin Brook Terry Danelley Moumee Habib Scott M. Kemp John Brown John B. Davidson Jessica Haire Dr. Rebecca Kiddle Harriet Burdett-Moulton Janine Debanné Teena Hale Pennington Stephen King Douglas Cardinal Barb De Ruyter Melissa Hammel Shannon Kitley Anne Carlyle Amanda Delorey Susane Havelka Abby Klages

8 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Joanna Klein Bruce Raber Heney Klypak Mayes Rihani Victor Kolynchuk Celina Rios-Nadeau Gerry Lalonde Anna Rocki Amina Lalor Carol Rogers Lisa Landrum Stephen Rotman Isabelle Laurier Angie Sauvé Linda Lavallee Haley Schumacher Rachelle Lemieux Ouri Scott Rebecca Lemire Bill Semple Mary E. Libby Sheena Sharp Biddy Livesey Tiffany Shaw-Collinge Tyler Loewen Michaela Shirley WELCOME REMARKS: OPENING REMARKS: Kateri Lucier-Laboucan Connor Smith PATRICK REID STEWART DOUGLAS CARDINAL Dr. Linda Many Guns Eladia Smoke Marc Wm. Maracle Susan Speigel MRAIC FRAIC Tegan Martin-Drysdale Monique St.Pierre Kevin Martindale John Steven Shelagh McCartney Doreen Stevens Dr. Patrick Reid Stewart|Luugigyoo Douglas Cardinal is an internation- Amanda McLeod Dr. Patrick Stewart is a Nisga’a architect, associate ally renowned Canadian architect, Philippe Meilleur Jason Surkan professor at the McEwen School of philosopher, human rights activist Dr. Daniel Millette Allan Teramura Architecture at Laurentian Univer- and Officer of the Order of Canada. Magdalena Milosz Dave Thomas Tom Monteyne Cheyenne Thomas sity in Sudbury, Ontario, and chair Born in 1934 in Calgary, Alberta, he Deborah Montgomery Courtney R. Thompson of the RAIC Indigenous Task Force. is of Blackfoot, Métis and European Eric Moutquin Albert Thomson Dr. Stewart is a past-president of ancestry. Mr. Cardinal studied archi- Kevin Mullin Raukura Turei the Architectural Institute of British tecture at the University of British Anissia Nasr Michelle Van Eyk Elisia Neves John van Nostrand Columbia and past chair of the Pro- Columbia and the University of Tex- Martin Nielsen Emmanuelle van Rutten vincial Aboriginal Homelessness as. He has more than 100 built proj- Owolabi Sadiya Nike Joshua Vitez Committee. His eponymous firm in ects and is credited with creating an Kevin O’Brien Justen Waldick Chilliwack, BC has a First Nations Indigenous style of Canadian archi- Michael Obihara Ryan Walker Zofia Orlowska-Jurewicz Kim Walton community development focus. tecture as well as being a pioneer of Elizabeth Pagliacolo Alfred Waugh Dr. Stewart obtained his Ph.D. from computer-aided design and draft- Jaqueline Paul Alan Webb the University of British Columbia in ing (CADD). Mr. Cardinal leads the Lenny Petrilli Desna Whaanga-Schollum 2015. The title of his dissertation is team representing Canada at the Alan Pollit James Wilson Brian Porter Edward Winter Indigenous Architecture through In- 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. Denise Pothier Arthur Wrigglesworth digenous Knowledge.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 9 SESSION ONE / KORA SESSIONS FROM AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND

Ngā Aho is a national network of Māori design professionals that seeks opportunities to raise aware- ness, increase knowledge, foster relationships, and develop capac- ity in Māori design and planning issues. Māori cultural aspirations, process, and practices are shared and developed through a network that supports and upholds tradi- tional cultural relationships.

Ngā Aho members delivered a se- ries of seven short, sharp presen- tations done in the Pecha Kucha model. Known as a “Kora” event, it represented the diversity of Māori design practice, igniting conversa- tion and ideas. Each 20-slide pre- sentation lasted seven minutes.

10 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium 1. Cultural Magnitude: Interactive visual mapping - a hybrid network for indigenous data Presented by Shayna-Lucy Curle

Cultural Magnitude is the exploration of the devel- loss over time with vector overlays. Choropleth maps opment of a tool that acts as a digital representation were used to look at where tribal populations are cur- and storage place of whakapapa (lineage) and taonga rently living compared to where their tribal lands are. (precious treasures). It is a cultural resource for Māori The choropleth maps confirm dramatic urbanization to understand their spiritual bounds to physical loca- of Māori populations. SHAYNA-LUCY CURLE tions – a tangible foundation for a virtual marae (an- The second design exploration set out to visual- Ngāi Tahu cestral community of ). ize in a tool, traditionally non-physical, but inherently Māori are a land-based people and are connect- spatial data and information. The tool acts as a dig- Shayna-Lucy Curle has recently ed to their tribal lands. However, these populations ital marae and can connect individuals to their tribal submitted her thesis in pursuit of are urbanizing, and there is fear that these rural lands lands and , (meeting houses) and is a stor- her Master of Architecture at Vic- may disappear. age place for stories, songs, and knowledge. The tool toria University of , New They are leveraging digital mapping to show Māori uses a Māori ontological framework as the structure Zealand. Her thesis explored the presence in the landscape and to protect tradition- to reconcile individuals to communities. It also has development of a cultural informa- al lands for future generations. This system is avail- implications for Indigenous data sovereignty and the tion modeling and visualization tool able online to Māori people to document the past development of new ways to access, control and dis- that aids in a deeper understanding and present and to protect the future. The semi-open seminate tribal data. of holistic tribal environments. The source system is being implemented in cities to show tool acts as a digital representation high-density areas of urban Māori people. and storage place of whakapapa Ms. Curle’s thesis project investigated how to re- (lineage) and taonga (precious trea- connect an urbanized population with their ances- sures), and as a cultural resource for tral lands as a way to mitigate the ongoing effects of Māori to understand their spiritual colonization, and to prevent the loss of more marae bounds to physical locations. She is (Māori meeting grounds). looking at continuing this work as a The first design exploration was mapping where start-up company in Wellington. current Māori populations are in New Zealand as dot density maps and comparing them to Indigenous land

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 11 2. Te Kawenata o Rata: A covenant between New Zealand Institute of Architects and Ngã Aho, the society of Mãori design professionals Presented by Elisapeta Heta

“Bind fast all parts of this house that all may be firm and strong… Join to- Achieving this will require Indigenous engagement and facilitation across gether, so all may form an everlasting bond!” House blessing by Elder Eruera many areas of architecture and design to: Stirling, Whanau-a-Apanui tribe • ensure Māori ancestral names and local narratives are creatively in- Just as all the components of a house must come together to keep its oc- corporated into the designed environment; cupants warm and safe, New Zealand itself must come together and move • identify and protect significant sites and cultural landmarks, and use toward a truly bicultural architecture that is developed with and for Māori, those to inform the design of new land developments to reinforce a explained Elisapeta Heta during her presentation. sense of place and identity for Māori; In February 2017, the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) and Ngā • protect and enhance the natural environment, with local flora and fau- Aho signed Te Kawenata o Rata, a document that sets out the relationship — na significant to Māori featured as key natural landscape elements. the “everlasting bond” — between these two organizations. The agreement Following the signing of Te Kawenata o Rata, the next steps will be to de- contains five articles: termine how Ngā Aho will be represented on the council of the NZIA, and to 1. Respect for each other’s heritage and customs, current needs, and establish a working program between the two organizations. The goal is to aspirations for the future; create sustainable networks and educational initiatives enabling an industry 2. Recognition of Indigenous authority and responsibility for Māori di- that acknowledges, supports and upholds Māori as tangata whenua (people mensions of knowledge and the environment; of the land). In closing, Ms. Heta acknowledged that the shift to a bicultural archi- 3. Acceptance of one another’s roles in protecting and promoting tecture will take time — and the transition to a genuine understanding and Māori knowledge and tikanga (culture and customs) in the field of respect for Māori culture will place considerable emotional, spiritual, men- architecture; tal and physical demands on Indigenous members within the architectural 4. Affirmation that a spirit of generosity and cooperation will guide profession. But, she emphasized that the rewards will be real, drawing on the all actions; words of Māori leader Sir James Hēnare: “We have come too far, not to go further. We have done too much, not to do more.” 5. Ongoing representation of Ngā Aho on the council of the NZIA. In practice, applying these articles means including Māori history and art in the designs created for Māori and non-Māori clients and communities alike.

12 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium 3. The evolution of Marae Aotearoa, New Zealand as a critical factor in cultural resilience Presented by Rau Hoskins

For the Māori people, the marae are places of gathering and meeting: where culture can be celebrated, important spiritual activities can be con- ducted, and knowledge can be passed down to build strength within the ELISAPETA HETA RAU HOSKINS community. Marae exist all over New Zealand and have withstood the test Ngāti Wai, Waikato, Samoan, Ngāti Hau, Ngāpuhi of time throughout colonization — and continue to be a vital part of every- Tokelauan day life for the Māori people. Māori architect Rau Hoskins explored the evolution and ongoing im- Elisapeta Heta is an architectural Rau Hoskins is a Director of design- portance of the marae, presenting numerous examples of how these graduate, artist, and educator. An TRIBE architects, an Indigenous firm structures have been built, used and maintained over the years. While mar- engaged and politically activated specializing in culturally-based archi- ae come in many different shapes and sizes — from modest palm-leaf artist and designer, she is interest- tecture and , and a lec- and small wooden structures to modern steel and glass structures like one ed in how space and place can have turer and coordinator of Te Honon- located along the Wellington waterfront — Mr. Hoskins explained they all a positive impact on the lives of the ga, the Centre for Māori Architecture play a similar (and critical) role in contributing to the cultural resilience of communities in which they function. and Appropriate Technologies with- Māori communities. Ms. Heta works at the architectural in the UNITEC Institute of Technol- In recent years, marae have cropped up increasingly within academic firm Jasmax, where she co-founded ogy’s department of architecture. institutions, helping bond students around Māori culture. Mr. Hoskins de- the Waka Maia cultural navigation Mr. Hoskins is a founding member tailed one example in particular: the structure built at Alfriston College in group. She is a core team member and former chairperson of Ngā Aho, 2004, which now serves as a “school within a school”, fostering a sense of of Architecture+Women NZ and sits and the current chairperson for Te belonging and identity among the students. on the board of the New Zealand Matapihi, the national Māori housing Mr. Hoskins was a key member of the New Zealand project team at the Institute of Architects representing advocacy body. He has more than 20 Venice Architecture Biennale in 2014, which allowed Ngā Aho to present the Ngā Aho national network of years’ experience with Māori com- Māori architecture to the world. He described how the exhibition involved Māori design professionals. munity-based design projects and the commissioning, carving, and of a whatarangi (elevated specializes in the design of Māori storehouse), which contained a model of the Auckland War Memorial Mu- educational institutions. seum within it — a powerful demonstration of the fusion of Māori architec- tural technologies and European design principles.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 13 4. Papakãinga Design Principles and Applications Presented by Jade Kake

Papakāinga is a form of housing de- presence). Her research is based on roof forms used throughout offer a velopment which occurs on multi- the philosophy that housing solutions sense of protection and and ply-owned Māori or ancestral land. The for Māori should be integrated with visually relate to the undulating land- literal meaning of papakāinga housing economic and social development scape and ridgelines of the Auckland is “a nurturing place to return to.” initiatives that are co-created and isthmus. The focus of the presentation was co-designed with the community. The financial model for the on design principles and process as In addition to providing some of scheme allows for individual home applied to papakāinga at the pre-de- her theoretical, unbuilt examples, Ms. ownership, while communal owner- sign, master planning, and concept Kake presented the Kāinga Tuatahi ship of the land is maintained. The JADE KAKE design stages. These include: project at Bastion Point by Stevens project has a strong emphasis on Ngāpuhi, , Lawson architects as a built example providing affordable housing for the • community visioning tech- Whakatōhea, Dutch of contemporary papakāinga. tribe on land that they bought back niques; Kāinga Tuatahi is a 30-house vil- from the Crown in 1996. Jade Kake grew up in Australia • use of GIS technology to pro- lage designed for Ngāti Whātua de- Values related to environmental duce cultural maps (alongside and holds a Bachelor of Architec- scendants, including a significant wellbeing and sustainable design are more traditional land feature tural Design from the University proportion of first-time homeowners. present in the form of zero waste ini- maps); use of participatory of in Australia and a It is located on the ancestral land of tiatives, including stormwater planting, design techniques (kit-of- Master’s degree in Architecture the Ngāti Whātua Indigenous people. solar panels and cycling networks. parts) in community design The Kāinga Tuatahi project seeks Culturally-appropriate housing from UNITEC Institute of Technol- workshops; to represent the identity and commu- that is sensitive to Māori extend- ogy in New Zealand. Ms. Kake has • culturally-based design prin- nity values of its residents. The build- ed-family dynamics and responsive worked as an architectural graduate ciples for site planning and ings are bold and contemporary in to the relationship Māori have with at designTRIBE Architects and now floor layouts based on cultur- design but also draw influence from their land is scarce, says Ms. Kake. al knowledge and precedent works full-time at the national Māori traditional Māori architecture, Arts & Her thesis project included re- analysis. housing advocate Te Matapihi. She Crafts as well as the local landscape. cording oral histories and participa- has worked directly with Māori land Jade Kake’s Master of Architecture Terrace houses are set in blocks tory design techniques to engage the thesis, completed in 2015, examined of three or four and arranged around community in the design process. trusts and other groups to real- papakāinga as a model for the cultural, two communal outdoor gathering In this process, the role of the ize their aspirations for papakāin- social, economic and environmental spaces which contain playgrounds, architect is reframed as skilled facil- ga housing, marae development regeneration of communities in New BBQ areas, and vegetable gardens. itator and interpreter, drawing upon and expression of cultural values Zealand. The thesis explored how The buildings’ distinctive forms technical, social, and cultural exper- through the design of the physical architecture can facilitate the recon- draw inspiration from the landscape, tise to empower people to take a piv- environment. nection of Māori people to their lands, specifically the surrounding volca- otal role in the design of their com- and the resumption of ahi kā (a living noes and ridgelines. The long gable munities, she says.

14 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium 5. Decolonizing the Colonial City Presented by Rebecca Kiddle

New Zealand thinks of itself as a rural nation, even Key themes from the project included the following: though over 80 percent live in urban areas. Relatedly, 1. Urban planning and design must include the most Māori (Indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zea- voices of Indigenous people if they are to re- land) live in cities; over 80 percent. However, cities have claim a sense of place for the city. taken shape according to Eurocentric and capitalist values. Māori have been dispossessed of land. Tradi- 2. Placemaking is a political act and to this end tional Indigenous worldviews that support communal must be designed and planned in ways that REBECCA KIDDLE land title have been displaced in favour of structures enable democratic engagement from the In- Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou that privilege private property ownership. These values digenous people who belong to that particular have long been contested, as Māori and non-Māori al- place. lies assert: urban spaces have always been Indigenous Becky Kiddle is a senior lecturer in 3. Designers must be explicit about values as the places. the School of Geography, Environ- act of designing is not neutral or value-free. The Imagining Decolonized Cities (IDC) project, ment and Earth Sciences at the Vic- 4. Designers and other built environment profes- funded by the New Zealand National Commission for toria University of Wellington. She sionals need to understand the impact of col- UNESCO, elicited proposals for a decolonized city us- holds undergraduate degrees in onization before they can contribute to decol- ing utopianism as a method. This research is a collab- politics, women’s and Māori studies onization. oration between Ngāti Toa (a Māori tribe in the lower and an MA and Ph.D. in urban design North Island and upper South Island of New Zealand) 5. Design and planning processes should uphold from Oxford Brookes University in and University of Wellington. Dr. Kiddle was the prestige and authority of both the Indige- England. Dr. Kiddle’s research focus- the project leader. The research is still in progress, but nous and non-Indigenous groups engaged. es on the relationship between so- the hope is that it will inform planning and design pro- cio-cultural factors and space. She 6. Starchitects and the general pursuit of stardom cesses in Porirua, New Zealand. is interested in the role of Māori iden- by architects and others create an unhelpful Data gathering took the form of an open urban tity in place-making; the relationship paradigm that disables genuine engagement design ideas competition asking for visions of a de- between community building and with Indigeneity. colonized city using two sites of different scales in public space design; young people’s 7. Indigenous identities should not be essential- Porirua. Alongside this, the IDC team ran workshops involvement in built environment de- ized given the diverse realities and identities of with young people from lower-socioeconomic areas cision-making processes; and edu- Indigenous people in the 21st century. and organized a symposium on the topic. cational space design.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 15 6. Te Aranga Design Principles Presented by Jacqueline Paul

In 2006, a hui (gathering) of Maori professionals and supporters came • mahi toi (creative expression); together at the Te Aranga Marae community centre in Flaxmere to formu- • tohu (cultural landscape); late a draft National Maori Cultural Landscape Strategy. The participants • ahi kā (living presence). came from architecture, , planning, engineering, The Te Aranga Design Principles address the processes of economic, design, /hapu (tribe/clan) development, education, arts and local and social, environmental and spatial development changes. They are a set central government. of outcome-based principles formulated to provide practical guidance The strategy seeks to ensure local tribes are well placed to positively for enhancing outcomes for the design environment. influence and shape the design of cultural landscapes within their tribal The principles have arisen from a widely held desire to enhance mana boundaries. whenua (Māori who have tribal links to Auckland) presence, visibility and The Te Aranga design principles are the Māori response to the New participation in the design of the physical realm. They enable the devel- Zealand Urban Design Protocol, developed by the Ministry for the Envi- opment community to understand how all can positively engage with ronment in conjunction with the Urban Design Advisory Group. Aranga mana whenua and shape the built environment. means to emerge or arise. The purpose of this strategy is to support local tribes to demonstrate The Urban Design Protocol calls for a significant step up in the qual- cultural approaches and perspectives regarding how to manage and ity of urban design in New Zealand and a change in the way of thinking build on the land. It provides an opportunity for local tribes to engage and about New Zealand’s towns and cities. As part of a coordinated program contribute to projects. This enables them to develop relationships with of sustainable development, it aims to ensure that towns and cities are authorities and developers and designers. Local tribes can share narra- successful places for people. tives and knowledge about the surrounding environment to influence de- The protocol identifies seven essential design qualities that together sign and inform others how to function within their area effectively. create a high-quality urban design – context, character, choice, connec- For Māori, this means that their identity and well-being is enhanced. tions, creativity, custodianship and collaboration. They are able to participate in decision-making processes that affect the The Te Aranga Design Principles are a cultural landscape approach to community and environment and preserve spiritual connection and sense design thinking and making which incorporates Māori cultural values and of belonging. There is a reassertion of Māori voices in the landscape. principles. For people other than Māori, this means connection with Indigenous These include: peoples, education on alternative models of conservation and sustain- • mana (authority); ability, and smoother development processes. Other benefits include • whakapapa (names and naming); economic gain through marketing of identity, and establishing a sense • taiao (environment); of unity for Indigenous and Western cultures by creating a set of shared • mauri tu (environmental health); principles demonstrating both perspectives.

16 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium © Rafael Ben-Ari / Stock Maori wood curving artwork

JACQUELINE PAUL Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahungunu Jacqueline Paul is an Honours grad- uate of the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program at the Unitec Institute of Technology in Auckland. Her dissertation discusses how pa- pakainga housing, incorporating Māori knowledge, principles, and practices can contribute to medi- um-density housing in cities. It aims to address issues around home- lessness, overcrowding, displaced communities and affordable hous- ing. It also seeks a shift in systems and models from eurocentric ide- ologies to integrating Māori world- views. Ms. Paul is a member of the Auckland Youth Advisory Panel and a research assistant at the Auck- land University of Technology.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 17 7. Ngã Aho: Network of Mãori Design Professionals Presented by Desna Whaanga-Schollum

Māori are committed to working towards reinstating and developing a strands of Māori design culture: strategy, planning, architecture, landscape physical and metaphysical understanding of cultural landscape within architecture, visual communications, product design and education. contemporary New Zealand. Ngā Aho creates a multi-disciplinary professional platform to progress In 2007, a set of guiding principles – the Te Aranga Principles – was complex cultural issues which span economic, social and ecological con- developed by Māori professionals and supporters spanning design, arts, cerns. This approach seeks to support wider Māori identity aspirations in health, education, local and central government. The principles assert that an Aotearoa where we can see “our faces in our places.” “the development and articulation of the Māori cultural landscape will con- Ngā Aho sits alongside other mainstream design professional associa- tribute to the health and well-being of all who reside in and visit Aotearoa tions, such as the New Zealand Institute of Architects, Designers Institute – through realizing our unique Aotearoa and Pacific identity.” of New Zealand, and the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects, The Te Aranga Principles articulate a Māori view of the cultural land- to support the needs of Māori design professionals and their Māori client scape as a holistic environment that informs and sculpts their identities. “It bases. Central to this position is actively maintaining reciprocal relation- is not just where we live – it is who we are.” ships with Māori communities and therefore providing relevant, respon- It includes the following ideas: sive and skilled support. Ngā Aho provides a platform for working relationships where values, • Māori have a unique sense of landscape that includes past, present worldviews, cultural narratives and visual identity can be expressed in the and future. design environment. • It includes both physical and spiritual dimensions and connects ex- Māori design within Ngā Aho is framed as applied research with the tended family, people of the land, flora, and fauna. stakeholders’ participation and evaluation being core to further develop- • It does not disconnect urban from rural. ment of appropriate professional tools. Ngā Aho also promotes the development of policy and structural in- • It is enshrined in whakapapa (genealogy], pepeha (tribal saying), dustry approaches leading to the regenerative presence of Māori culture tauparapara (incantation to begin a speech), whaikōrero (a formal in the designed landscapes of Aotearoa. speech), karakia (ritual chants), waiata (song, chant), tikanga (cor- rect procedure, custom, lore, method), ngā kōrero a kui ma, a koroua ma (the words of our elders) and mahi toi (art and architecture). Ngā Aho was established a few months after the development of the Te Aranga Principles as a vehicle to carry them forward. Ngā Aho, a name provided by respected elder Haare Williams, trans- lates as “the many strands.” It suggests the weaving together of the many

18 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium © Dmitri / Adobe Stock Taranaki region, New Zealand

DESNA WAANGA-SCHOLLUM Ngāti Rongomaiwahine / Pahauw- era/ Kahungunu Desna Whaanga-Schollum is a founding member and chair of Ngā Aho, the network of Māori design professionals. A designer, artist, and researcher, Ms. Whaanga-Schollum holds a Bachelor of Design (Visual Communications) from Unitec Insti- tute of Technology in Auckland. She is a Master of Science Communica- tion candidate and member of the Indigenous Agroecology research team at Otago University. Ms. Whaan- ga-Schollum is actively involved in Māori identity discourse via research, exhibitions, gatherings and speak- ing engagements. She sits on the board of Artspace New Zealand and the governance committee of Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 19 SESSION TWO / RESPECTING THE LAND & IDENTITY 1. Cultural sensitivity and environmental responsibility Presented by Alfred Waugh, MRAIC

According to First Nations archi- building to the cardinal directions tect Alfred Waugh, architecture (rather than the university’s grid), must be a synthesis of cultur- Mr. Waugh built in novel sustain- al sensitivity and environmental ability technologies. They include responsibility. His firm, Formline energy-efficient water conserva- Architecture, uses a methodol- tion and displacement ventilation ogy that “focuses on a holistic systems, a totem that doubles as view of man’s interconnected- an air intake, exhaust openings ness with the environment based calibrated to occupant load, and on an Indigenous philosophical a ceremonial hall with ventilation approach.” It’s an approach that cleverly integrated into its design. helps maintain a connection with The use of wood and how it the past while incorporating the reflects First Nations culture was passive sustainability strategies also an important design con- inherent to Indigenous architec- sideration for the First Peoples ture. House. Mr. Waugh discussed the To demonstrate what he calls many ways in which the building First Peoples House, University of Victoria, BC “sustainable strategies inspired uses wood, including its tight-fit by cultural precedent,” Mr. Waugh timber connections (a modern in- Timber connection inspired by bulrush mats recounted the creation of the First terpretation of the slotted post- Peoples House at the University and-beam connections of Coast of Victoria. In addition to incorpo- Salish ) and walls in- rating Indigenous elements into spired by the bulrush mats used to the landscaping and orienting the keep drafts out of longhouses.

20 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium First Peoples House, University of Victoria, BC

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 21 All images: Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre

He then described how wood can ture is another key feature of the CONNECTION TO THE FOREST be used to present and interpret First Formline portfolio. When designing Nations culture, showcasing sever- the pavilion at the Liard River Hot al other buildings from Formline’s Springs, for example, Mr. Waugh portfolio. In particular, the Squamish strived for minimal impact on en- Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler dangered snails. At the University uses wood to “connect visitors with of British Columbia’s Indian Resi- the forest,” featuring a hybrid post- dential School History and Dialogue and-beam system inspired by Salish Centre, outdoor learning spaces longhouses as well as a traditional are provided on both its upper and log-construction Istken pit-house. lower levels. Main Floor While traditional longhouses are As an active and innovative In- made entirely of wood, Mr. Waugh’s digenous-owned architecture prac- building is decidedly 21st century, tice, Formline always takes on the fronted by a wall of overlapping glass challenge of embedding cultural planks in the style of the Salish long- expression in modern architecture Source: Alfred Waugh presentation house to create a transparent, out- and seeks to develop innovative ward-looking facility. sustainable technologies rooted in The combination of site and cul- Indigenous cultural history. Upper Floor

22 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Liard River Hot Springs, Liard River, BC

ALFRED WAUGH, MRAIC

Alfred Waugh is a member of the Fond Du Lac (Denesuline) Nation of northern and is also part English and Swedish. He is the founder of Formline Architecture, a firm in West . Born and raised in Yellowknife, NWT, Waugh was first encouraged by his moth- er to make a positive contribution to Indigenous peoples. He is the first Indigenous person to gradu- ate from the University of British Columbia’s school of architecture and is also the first Indigenous ar- chitect to become LEED (Leader- ship in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 23 SESSION TWO / RESPECTING THE LAND & IDENTITY 2. Building for the Future: Passive House for Indigenous Communities Presented by Kim Walton

Indigenous communities deserve for the Passive House standard. housing and buildings that are The Passive House standard of smart, comfortable, resilient and construction uses established build- affordable over time. The Passive ing science principles to inform the House energy modeling system is design of robust building envelopes a best practice tool for the design that require very little mechanical of climate-specific building en- input. A Passive House remains at a velopes. Sustainable, permanent comfortable temperature regardless buildings are respectful of the com- of the outdoor temperature through munity; creating long-term connec- appropriate insulation levels, excel- tions to a place and home. lent window performance, and air Passive House or Passivhaus tightness. The homes can be heated is a building standard developed in with the equivalent energy used by a Germany by Dr. Wolfgang Feist af- hairdryer. ter visiting Canada in the 1980s. He Building and delivering high-per- visited the Saskatchewan conser- formance building envelopes to ru- vation house built by two Canadian ral and remote sites is being done engineers, Harold Orr and Rob Du- now. For example, the prefabrica- mont, in Regina in the mid-1970s. tion company, Collective , Dr. Feist used what he learned from has several Passive House projects the successes and challenges of under their belt. They are currently this Canadian cold climate house as installing the wall and roof system Valemount PHI Certified Passivhus, Valemount, BC the model for determining the goals for a church and a medical centre

24 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium ILFI Certified Net Zero, CMHC Equilibrium Echo Haven Home, Calgary, AB

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 25 Source: Kim Walton presentation Kim Walton Source: for two remote Indigenous commu- and buildings locally, eliminating the nities in northern British Columbia. need to transport large and awkward Ms. Walton was the energy con- components. sultant for the Valemount Passivhus Locally produced buildings will (Passive House in Swedish) project encourage pride of place. Skills de- that was installed west of Jasper veloped in producing quality struc- in northern British Columbia. Pre- tures that are constructed to stan- fabrication of the building compo- dards that will enable centuries of nents in a temperature-and-humid- occupation will be a key to the sus- ity-controlled environment assures tainability of the community. Build- accuracy and a high-quality prod- ings that require little or no supple- uct, she says. With the building en- mental heating will reduce the need velope in place, interior work can for unsustainable energy sources. be done locally in an easy-to-heat Another approach to delivering working environment. Passive House buildings to acces- The manufacturing of the build- sible communities is factory-built ing envelope systems takes place in prefabricated units. Ms. Walton cit- a small 30-foot-by-40-foot shop. The ed Britco, a manufacturer with pre- pre-fabrication of these buildings fabrication experience. Modifying could take place anywhere; ideally, their standard module manufactur- near the installation site. The skills ing to achieve Passive House stan- needed to do this work could be in- dards has meant some re-thinking troduced to community members. of their normal practices. Integrat- With training, these high-perfor- ing high levels of insulation and mance structures could be produced testing for airtightness in a factory and assembled in the communities setting has proven to be a success- where they will be erected. The goal ful approach for a few multi-family would be to engage the community projects, for example at Yale First members in the production of homes Nation in British Columbia.

26 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Source: Km Walton presentation

KIM WALTON

Kim Walton is a Métis architectural designer, a certified Passive House Insti- tute US consultant, and founder of Bow Crown Design, a successful archi- tectural design, and consulting practice. Ms. Walton has spent the last 35 years designing energy efficient homes and small buildings from the Alber- ta Foothills. Using her skills in energy modelling and employing excellence in building science, Ms. Walton designs and manages Passive House and Net Zero projects across Western Canada. She has a long Métis family history in the Lockport, St. Andrews, Wavy Creek and Petersfield areas of Manitoba.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 27 SESSION TWO / RESPECTING THE LAND & IDENTITY 3. Blackfoot Crossing: The Building Form as a Metaphor for Traditional Knowledge Presented by Dr. Linda Many Guns

Indigenous teachings can shape ar- extensive consultative process with sultation. The voices of the Elders the south entry wall is named the chitecture in profound ways. Dr. Lin- Blackfoot Elders, a consensus was guided the treatment of the tradi- Chief’s Walk and commemorates da Many Guns described the gen- reached on the symbols that most tional icons and symbols that are the great hereditary chiefs. A bright- esis of a significant building. The reflect the core values for Siksika embedded in the building to ensure ly coloured glass entry canopy is Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park Nation in Alberta. Elders were in- their authenticity and realism. The designed as a fan of eagle feathers. Interpretive Centre, which opened volved with the design and direct- Elders’ knowledge, their stories, and Infused with soft light from in 2007, is located east of Calgary ed how the several dozen ancient traditional consultation grounded above, the Sundance Gallery recalls on the Bow River at the historic site icons and symbols would appear the building in the landscape. the luminous quality of the interior of the signing of Treaty No. 7. It is a within the Blackfoot Crossing build- For example, the idea for the of a teepee. designated national heritage site. ing. Through inclusive interaction at roof form was inspired by a photo Winter was the time for sto- The 62,000-square-foot centre each stage of the design and con- of a teepee cover laid out on the ry-telling in oral societies. The was built as a cultural and education struction, a powerful building now ground for painting. The final roof Blackfoot peoples have their own centre for the preservation and pro- tells the history of the Blackfoot form is a seamless integration of stories and mythologies of the motion of the Siksika Nation’s lan- people, symbolically memorializing a teepee cover and a Sundance moon, the planets, and the stars. guage, culture, and traditions. The the importance of all aspects of Camp. The centre portion rising The fibre optic ceiling in the Vision building is a place that sustains and Blackfoot culture. above the main roof represents the Quest Theatre is a replica of a Janu- reflects the importance of tradition- The Truth and Reconciliation Sundance Lodge. The structures ary night sky, and the constellations al knowledge and how it can be em- Commission of Canada recom- surrounding the Sundance Lodge come to life again as modern day bodied by architecture, said Dr. Many mends education as a means of are seven teepee skylights that rep- storytellers pass on tales from the Guns, a consultant on the project. bringing about change. The interac- resent the Seven Sacred Societies. old days. The architect was Ron Goodfel- tions that created the building are a The winding north entry wall low, FRAIC, of Calgary. Through an perfect example of traditional con- represents the Bow River, while

28 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, Cluny, AB

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 29 Source: Linda Many Guns presentation 30 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Source: Linda Many Guns presentation HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 31 Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, AB

LINDA MANY GUNS MODERATOR, SESSION TWO RESPECTING THE LAND Dr. Linda Many Guns is an assistant professor in the Department of Na- & IDENTITY tive American Studies at the Univer- BRIAN PORTER, MRAIC sity of Lethbridge and a member of the Siksika Nation, Alberta. She ob- Brian Porter is a member of the tained her Ph.D. at Trent University in Oneida Nation. He has worked on 2013, and her LLB at the University the Six Nations Reserve in southern of Ottawa in 1996. Her research spe- Ontario for the past 24 years, where cialties include Indigenous meth- he is principal of Two Row Architect, odologies, Aboriginal paradigms, a solely Aboriginal-owned and oper- Aboriginal community knowledge ated architecture firm. Established in holders, traditional knowledge, Ab- 1992, it is the first architectural prac- original policies, storytelling, oral tice in Canada to be located in a First histories, constitutional law, and art- Nations community. Mr. Porter has based research methodologies. She worked all over Canada, the United has published articles, sits on uni- States, and many First Nations re- versity and community committees serves. He graduated from the Uni- and supervises fieldwork. versity of Toronto with a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1987.

32 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium SESSION THREE / CREATING CONSENSUS & ENGAGEMENT 1. Architecture and Consent Presented by Kevin O’Brien

When Europeans arrived in Aus- tects, with each person asked to original space (“country”) and Eu- tralia, they designed their cities on take a piece of the city grid and re- ropean space (“property”) — and what they considered to be empty move half of its built environment. emphasize that because all cities paper. But to the Aboriginal peo- Mr. O’Brien explained the pur- historically enter states of decline, ple, that paper was not empty: it pose of Finding Country was not it is not unreasonable to imagine was already filled with spaces that to turn back the clock but rath- an opportunity for the recovery have since been written over and er to reveal and rediscover the of “country” through such decline forgotten. In his presentation to pre-existing Aboriginal presence and the erasure of the built envi- the symposium, Kevin O’Brien, a that has been ignored since Eu- ronment. descendant of the Kaurareg and ropean settlement. The buildings Seeing what has been ren- Meriam people of northeastern and structures removed from the dered invisible in the typical Aus- Australia, gave an overview of his map of Brisbane had, at the time tralian city is core to work done by Finding Country project — and of their construction, required Mr. O’Brien’s architectural prac- how it sought to reveal that lost different kinds of consent to pro- tice and in his studios at the Uni- history and assert an Aboriginal ceed. A complex question is then versity of Sydney. In architecture, origin for architecture in Australia. raised by erasing that “text” of he says, cultural, professional and Initiated in 2006 and exhibited the city: where does true authori- academic obligations often stand as one of the 18 official collateral zation rest? And what is the rela- in conflict when attempting to events at the 2012 Venice Archi- tionship between architecture and engage with Aboriginal contexts. tecture Biennale, Finding Country consent? However, these conflicts can be featured a map of Brisbane. It was Ultimately, Mr. O’Brien’s project overcome by observing a genu- made up of images contributed by aimed to highlight the confronta- ine sense of respect for Aboriginal 50 different designers and archi- tion between the traditions of Ab- people and their history.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 33 Source: Kevin O.Brien presentation

KEVIN O’BRIEN

Kevin O’Brien is a descendent of the Meriam Mir and Kaurereg peoples of the and a member of the Keriwi/Hammond Is- land Community. As a Churchill Fel- low in 2000, Mr. O’Brien investigat- ed regional construction strategies in Indigenous communities around the Pacific Rim. He established Kev- in O’Brien Architects in Brisbane, Australia in 2006 and directed the Finding Country exhibition at the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale. He holds a Master of Philosophy from the University of Queensland and is a professor of creative prac- tice at the University of Sydney.

34 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Source: Kevin O’Brien presentation

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 35 SESSION THREE / CREATING CONSENSUS & ENGAGEMENT 2. Urban Engagements for Indigenous People Presented by Tiffany Shaw-Collinge

In her presentation, Tiffany Shaw- that was originally a banana-ripen- der First Nation, O’Chiese First Na- Collinge discussed four urban proj- ing warehouse, the agency was in tion and Sunchild First Nation. ects undertaken by the architectur- desperate need of a new home that To be built on a site in the Edmon- TIFFANY SHAW-COLLINGE al firm at which she works, Manasc would allow it to expand its ser- ton River Valley that has been used Isaac. These projects have had (or vices and provide a more welcom- for centuries by Indigenous people Tiffany Shaw-Collinge is an artist, will have) a positive impact on the In- ing environment for the community. foraging for medicinal herbs, Kihciy digenous community in and close to Ms. Shaw-Collinge described how Askiy (Sacred Earth) will provide a curator and intern architect based Edmonton, Alberta. Manasc Isaac is helping to create a natural outdoor space for hosting in Alberta. She holds a BFA from the In 2003, Manasc Isaac trans- safe and positive community hub spiritual ceremonies, sweat lodges, Nova Scotia College of Art and De- formed a former airport terminal that offers multiple services in a cultural camps and talking circles; sign University, a Masters in Archi- building into a groundbreaking urban space that is proudly Indigenous in growing medicinal herbs; and prac- tecture from the Southern California First Nations high school, Amisk- design. ticing traditional crafts. Currently in Institute of Architecture and works waciy Academy — the first of its kind Similarly, Manasc Isaac is work- development, Kihciy Askiy is a joint at Manasc Isaac. In 2012, Ms. Shaw- in Canada. As the school has grown ing with Yellowhead Tribal College to initiative between the City of Ed- Collinge was on the Canadian team through the years, the firm plans to develop a new home for the institu- monton and Native Counselling Ser- for the Venice Biennale of Architec- assess how well the building contin- tion that will allow it to broaden the vices of Alberta. ture. In 2016, her installation piece ues to meet the needs of students scope of its services to the Yellow- Looking at these four urban proj- Pehonan was chosen for an Indige- and faculty. head Tribal Council. A new facility ects, Ms. Shaw-Collinge empha- nous art park in Edmonton. Born in Boyle Street Community Ser- will also make it possible for the col- sized that Manasc Isaac enters ev- Calgary and raised in Edmonton, she vices assists 12,000 people each lege to expand its current education ery project with the goal of providing is of Métis heritage. year challenged by homelessness platform to meet the needs of Indig- well designed, creative, culturally re- and poverty, with more than 70 per- enous students within Edmonton sponsible, economically viable and cent of its clients of Indigenous de- as well those as in the surrounding environmentally sustainable spaces scent. Working out of a tiny building Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Alexan- for Indigenous communities.

36 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Boyle Street Community Services, Edmonton, AB

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 37 SESSION THREE / CREATING CONSENSUS & ENGAGEMENT 3. Original Teachings: ‘Grandfathered Into’ an Architecture of Reconciliation Presented by K. Jake Chakasim

RESILIENCE PERSONIFIED ᒪᔅᑯᓱᑲᑎᓯᐎᓐ Although it is easy to listen to Indigenous stories, it may be near impos- maskosokatisiwin: sible to make sense out of them, especially when the residual effects of The act of displaying resilience, enduring character residential school trauma have harvested a different kind of mind-body relationship to place and material objects. Appropriately enough, it is my Indigenous language and epistemological foundation from which my imagination grows and continuously brings me back to a traditional hunt- ing-harvesting story of walking, listening and observing the Indigenous landscape with my Mooshim (Cree for grandfather.) This deeply ingrained memory of place amidst the northern land- scape continues to shape and reshape my architectural wonderment as I try to imagine myself in the place of the old ones, Elders, and ancestors who once were there and to grasp how they might have experienced the Omushkegowuk (swampy) landscape. As Ruskin’s Lamp of Sacrifice (1849) alludes:All architecture propos- es an effect on the human mind, not merely a service to the human frame. It is a mode of continuity across time that is at once a form of historical knowledge and a link between the past, present and the future. To perform this function, architecture cannot simply copy an earlier style. It must be conceived in the style indigenous to a nation. If my memory serves me correctly, then the embodied knowledge re- Kenneth J. Wynne, 1938 Me and Mooshim (Grandfather), 2017 ceived from my Mooshim has surely set my imagination free, all the while Pre-residential school (age 5) (age 85)

38 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Source: K. Jake Chakasim presentation «

TITLE liberating him from his childhood pain – even if for a fleeting moment. Weypiskosiweywin I Amidst the Hudson Bay Lowlands, on the edge of the grassy mud- DATE flats where the tidal banks meet the ebb and flow of the Moose River, we 2014 walked. Rifle in one hand and Indigenous knowledge in the other, skillful- CONSTRUCTED ly, Mooshim would point out a variety of willow and tree samplings from Nipissing First Nation, North Bay, ON which to choose. Tamarack twigs for decoys, Labrador leaves for tea, but DESCRIPTION most of his bundle served to restore and shelter the Indigenous mind- Constructed of 2 x 6 x 12 SPF material. body relationship to place. Playfully Mooshim assembled a hunting blind The artifact served as a festival pavilion for a local artisan group while exposing high in what seemed to me like the middle of nowhere. Little did my adoles- school students to the field of design in a cent mind know this Indigenous landscape, the Mushkegowuk swamp, cultural context. akin to a sponge, would be the cultivating ground for my architectural imagination in the years to come. Upon being positioned with my back facing the frigid northwesterly winds sweeping over a thinning boreal tree line, I was instructed to face due south and observe the sun that seemed to bend across the sky east- to-west, meanwhile, to listen carefully for the sound of migrating niska (geese) that juxtaposed the natural cycles shaping place around me.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 39 Source: K. Jake Chakasim presentation

« «

TITLE TITLE Weypiskosiweywin II Weypiskosiweywin III DATE DATE 2015 2016 CONSTRUCTED CONSTRUCTED Toronto Pan Am Games Installation, ON Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON DESCRIPTION DESCRIPTION Constructed of 2 x 6 x 12 SPF material. The final of the set trilogy addressed the issue of reconciliation from ‘inside’ the culture. The second of three design‐build exercises acknowledges the participation of Northern Foregrounding the danger of lapsing traditional Cree culture in the International Pan Am Games. forms, design and identities foreign to that region. The in place of the iconic thus ensuring an ethical position of design.

40 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium “Observe and listen,” said Mooshim. “This place may seem like the middle of nowhere to you now, but it will soon be everything you will be in search of later in life. It’s who we are.” From that day forward, out on the muskeg, is how I have come to untangle it. That is, how I imagine the playful innocence of the K. JAKE CHAKASIM MODERATOR, SESSION THREE within my Mooshim – unraveled, untouched, and, once again, uninter- rupted – out on the land years away from the ideological burden of Born in Moose Factory, Ontario and CREATING CONSENSUS residential school. affiliated with Attawapiskat First & ENGAGEMENT Mooshim’s story is not a distant memory. In fact, I carry it every Nation, Jake Chakasim is pursuing day. It genuinely speaks to the experience of being grandfathered into OURI SCOTT, doctoral studies at the School of MRAIC an architecture of truth and reconciliation informed by a deep rever- Community and Regional Planning ence for place. Since then, it has morphed into the making of a re- at the University of British Colum- Ouri Scott, of the Tlicho Dene Nation, newed typology informed by the spatiality, sociology, and historicality bia. His research interests include is a project architect at Urban Arts of the Cree people across the Lower James Bay region. Indigenous planning and architec- Architecture in Vancouver and was This method of narrating Indigeneity and temporal knowledge from ture. Mr. Chakasim is on the team representing Canada at the 2018 previously at Dialog in Vancouver. the vantage point of the lived experience provides an expressive and Venice Biennale of Architecture. Originally from the Northwest Ter- affective tool that evokes and provokes the Indigenous landscape. He is the recipient of the Jonathan ritories, Ms. Scott is one of the first At the same time, it empowers the 21st-century Indigenous designer King Medal given by the interna- Indigenous women to graduate from with a renewed sense of purpose, resurgence, and ability to reclaim our tional Architectural Research Cen- the University of British Columbia’s place of territoriality, and, hopefully, the means to explore a contempo- ter Consortium, to recognize inno- Master of Architecture program. She rary Indigenous typology specific to the Northern landscape. vation, integrity, and scholarship in works with First Nations communi- It is for this reason that Indigenous knowledge and its creative ways architectural design research. He holds a Master of Architecture from ties across western Canada in the offer the potential for both academic and practice-based critiques that Ryerson University. areas of community development, are very much at the centre of UNCEDED: Voices of the Land. traditional knowledge, and Indig- enous governance. Ms. Scott has spoken at conferences and commu- nity events in Canada and New Zea- land on Indigenous design and sus- tainable infrastructure development.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 41 SESSION FOUR / INDIGENOUS DESIGN: TOOLS, METHODS & PROCESSES 1. Re-Operationalizing Indigenous Culture: Architecture as Storytelling Presented by Wanda Dalla Costa READ LONG VERSION

Indigenous architecture has a par- is kinship-driven systems. Learning This presentation, told in the first- ticularly rich story to tell. is a communal activity, involving person, investigated architecture as a I will talk about Indigenous ar- family, community, and Elders. It chitectural storytelling through is an extended cast of characters contemporary means of storytelling, the conventional five functions of which share a storyline. aiming to preserve culture, a story and through a recent proj- The setting is the second com- ect, the Niitsitapi Learning Centre in ponent. The urban Indigenous sto- share history, embed values, Calgary, Alberta, where I was the In- ry in the Niitsitapi Learning Centre and foster collective living. digenous consultant, working with happened to be a convergence of Beck Vale Architects. multiple Indigenous geographies. The school is a pilot project for The geography or place is further pre-kindergarten to Grade 3. The subdivided into territory – Blackfoot school’s leadership, with the sup- territory, in this case. port of the Calgary Board of Edu- The third component of con- cation, proposed using traditional ventional storytelling is conflict: forms of learning and teaching in man versus man; man versus so- the new facility. Architecturally, there ciety; man versus nature, and man were few, if any, Indigenous-centred versus self. Early Learning precedents to follow. In the Niitsitapi Learning Centre, In conventional storytelling, perhaps all conflicts were present. character development is the first There was a powerful man-versus- component. A fundamental distinc- man conflict in reconciling the role tion in working in tribal communities of the residential school teacher to

42 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Source: Wanda Dalla Costa presentation

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 43 All images: Niitsitapi Aboriginal Learning Centre, Calgary, AB

44 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium a traditional teacher in holistic ed- that had no natural light and views. and design narratives. ucation. There was also a powerful Rising action is where the con- The falling action is where the WANDA DALLA COSTA man-versus-nature conflict. Indig- flict in the story is revealed. We di- complications begin to resolve enous people of this region have gested all the typical information: themselves. In this project, there Wanda Dalla Costa is an architect, a strong tradition of place-based papers, demographics and region- were design and review meetings to a member of the Saddle Lake First experiential learning; how do you al history. What we understood as confirm and resolve. Nation in Alberta, and Visiting Em- build place-based traditions into an some of the drivers but also the Finally, resolution. There was a inent Scholar at the Del E. Webb urban typology? challenges were: lot of non-standard programming, School of Construction at Arizona There was a man-versus-so- including an enlarged gymnasium • the role of holistic teachers; State University. Owner of Redquill ciety conflict. Residential schools which could hold the Calgary Indig- Architecture, she has spent two were based on the denigration and • place-based learning in an ur- enous community for a pow wow or decades working with Indigenous abolition of Indigenous culture. The ban setting; feast. A family and Elders lounge is communities in North America. Her Indian became in conflict with so- visible upon entry. The learning cen- • the social struggle of Indige- work focuses on culturally respon- ciety. Finally, man-versus-self. How tre encompasses a healing room, a nous knowledge within a colo- sive design and built environments do we as urban Indigenous people wellness clinic and a Gathering of nial education system; as a teaching tool for traditional see ourselves? What is our identity Nations teaching room. We made • contemporary urban identity. knowledge. She holds a Master of within an interrupted and dislocated sure a tipi could fit into the central Design Research from the Southern history? space, and the tipi poles could be The high point in a story is the turn- California Institute of Architecture The fourth component in con- manoeuvred in the hallways into ing point. In the Niitsitapi Learning and an M. Arch. from the University ventional storytelling is the plot. storage. Students learn songs, Centre, the engagement process of Calgary. To every plot, there is a beginning; quickly turned this into a model for dance, drumming, theatre, and mu- rising action, high point, and falling architecture. It’s where the com- sic in the cultural instruction room. action leading to resolution. munity catalyzed the change. What The beginning was an existing came out of the engagements were 1972 school with six classrooms teaching tools, cultural references,

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 45 SESSION FOUR / INDIGENOUS DESIGN: TOOLS, METHODS & PROCESSES 2. Exploring Conciliation through Architecture Nehiyawak (Plains Cree) Perspective Presented by James K. Bird READ LONG VERSION

James K. Bird designed Words to tion space that address a troubled Form – an architectural model for a relationship with the Canadian state potential memorial that would put and assist in building a new rela- the words of reconciliation into a tionship. Reconciliation had to rep- physical form – for his fourth-year resent an ongoing process, a living independent study in both archi- process, current and evolving. tecture and Indigenous studies at The entire site is created in the Centre for Indigenous Studies, a circle representing an Indige- University of Toronto. nous concentric worldview. The His research responds to the site has openings or pathways Truth and Reconciliation Commis- in the four directions and evokes sion’s (TRC) Call to Action No.79 “… the idea of the medicine wheel as to develop a reconciliation frame- fixed on the ground. work for Canadian heritage and At the centre of the monument commemoration.” sits an old-growth tree, a maple. The first image is a symbol that Old growth trees are the grand- speaks to the work of words com- fathers of the forest, knowledge ing into form and titled in Nehiyawak keepers of time, and wisdom keep- syllabics: New Relations. ers of the land. The research took more than a The monument space includes year to complete. One of the many the four major elements of fire, difficulties was how to envision water, earth, and sky. The sev- both a monument and a concilia- en granite stones represent the

Source: James K. Bird presentation

46 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Source: James K. Bird presentation

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 47 Source:James K. Bird presentation K. Bird Source:James

48 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Seven Grandfather teachings of connecting to the land. One of the the Anishinaabe: honesty, truth, hu- first implementations of coloniza- mility, love, wisdom, courage, and tion was the loss of language and respect. They also represent me- this, in turn, had a huge disconnect morial stones. On the backs of the to the land. On all 28 sides are the three-metre-high stones are writ- various First Nations languages ten in order, the names of all the 141 carved into the language poles. JAMES K. BIRD residential schools in Canada. In There are three black granite the front, where the fountain water platforms in between the fountains. flows, are engraved the names of The idea is to invite a First Nations James K. Bird is of Nehiyawak (Cree) the many missing children who nev- and Non-Indigenous artist to col- descent and grew up in Fort Smith, er returned home, and neither were laborate on sculptures together. Northwest Territories affiliated with the bodies ever found or repatriat- One of the main mandates for the Northwest Territories Métis Na- Source: James K. Bird presentation ed to their community. The water this space is memory. This mon- tion and Athabasca Chipewyan First flowing over the names signifies the ument idea also creates a certain Nation in Northern Alberta. A mature eternal tears of memory. The water choreography, drawing the partic- student studying Indigenous studies flows toward the great tree of life. ipant into the space in gesturing and architecture at the University of A Dene Arbor covers the eighth movements that are meant to in- Toronto, he plans to pursue a mas- fire (a prophecy of rebirth) as a spire a better Canada. In this walk- ter’s degree in architecture. Before talking space around a sacred fire. through, one is moved to consider pursuing academia, Mr. Bird had The seven poles in ascending the national consciousness and ask a 25-year career in carpentry and heights represent language poles the pressing question, “What is my construction. He sits on several ad- and are symbolic of language re- part in this?” visory committees in the Indigenous community and at the University of Toronto, including its Truth and Rec- onciliation Steering Committee.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 49 SESSION FOUR / INDIGENOUS DESIGN: TOOLS, METHODS & PROCESSES 3. Aboriginal Form – Not Just a Wrapping to Functionality: Cultural Expression Resulting from Community Consultation Presented by Harriet Burdett-Moulton READ LONG VERSION

A health centre is one of the most phase because of vigilance regard- there are fewer organized activities prominent buildings in a rural and ing infection control. for youth. remote community. It has a high The people wanted the build- For example, when the nursing profile (figuratively and literally) ing footprint to reflect welcoming station in Pangnirtung was under and is usually seen as the heart of arms, and this can be seen from construction, children removed the the community. the air, which is the only access for expensive rigid insulation under the Qikiqtani General Hospital in people into the city. floor at night to use as rafts. The Iqaluit, Nunavut can be seen from Communities like to reflect their next day, after a prominent Elder almost anywhere in the downtown identity in their buildings. The pro- made a radio announcement and core, and as you fly over Iqaluit. It file of mountains is reflected in the the principal canceled school, the

was built in conjunction with Wil- hospital’s siding as a form of pat- children brought it back. Because Source: Harriet Burdett-Moulton presentation liam Nycum and Associates. Ny- terning. The interior uses graphic the contractor had hired local la- cum, and FSC, now Stantec, devel- depictions of local animals to as- bour as part of the construction oped the functional program for sist in wayfinding and to enliven an crew, the community felt owner- the Qikiqtani Hospital in the late ordinary space. ship of the project and ensured the 1990s. There is a value to having peo- return of the insulation, thus saving The programming involved ple from the community partici- $500,000 in replacement and de- the community which proposed a pate in the planning, design, and lay costs. small fridge in every patient room construction of a facility. People To make a healthcare facility for families to store country food feel that it is their building and treat part of the community in rural and for patients and visitors – an in- it accordingly. Vandalism, though remote northern locations, Stan- teresting idea that didn’t make it not unique to northern buildings, tec employs a simple but com- through the design-development is often more prevalent because prehensive consultation process,

50 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Qikigtani General Hospital, Iqaluit, NU

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 51 which includes informal discussions with the client which is the territorial or provincial government. In the North, much professional work gets done in informal settings. The professional and technical project team confers to identify unique or high-risk conditions or requirements, such as zones of seismic activity, floodplains, extreme winds, heavy snow drifting areas, or problems asso- ciated with humidified buildings in cold, arid environments. After understanding the requirements of a project, Stantec goes to the community and consults with the hamlet, local healthcare professionals, and Elders. The hamlet or community, in consultation with Stantec, determines the most appropriate location and gives official permission for the land use. The healthcare professionals provide advice on how the healthcare system works and how improvements can be made in a new facility. They also comment on community customs and décor. The Elders give direction on location, look, design, patterning, and wayfinding. They often banter with the scientists and professionals on how things should be done: historical knowledge versus modern science.

Source: Harriet Burdett-Moulton presentation

52 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium Piqqusilirivvik Inuit Cultural Learning Facility, Clyde River, NU

HARRIET MODERATOR, SESSION FOUR BURDETT-MOULTON, FRAIC INDIGENOUS DESIGN: In a career spanning more than 40 TOOLS, METHODS years, Harriet Burdett-Moulton was & PROCESSES the first to practice architecture in ELADIA SMOKE Nunavut and has than 200 build- ings in her portfolio. Born and raised Eladia Smoke|KaaSheGaaBaaWeak in Labrador, she is Métis with Inuit Bay Health Centre, Arctic Bay, NU is Anishinaabekwe from Obishiko- roots. Now, a senior architect with kaang (Lac Seul First Nation), with Stantec, she was the second fe- family roots in Alderville First Nation, male graduate architect from Nova Winnipeg, and Toronto. Practicing ar- Scotia Technical University. Ms. Bur- chitecture since 2002, she founded dett-Moulton has been involved in Smoke Architecture in 2014 and is the design of facilities for education, a master lecturer at the Laurentian recreation and healthcare, places University McEwen School of Archi- of worship, and feasibility studies. tecture. She has worked at Architec- Currently living in Dartmouth, Nova ture 49 in and Prairie Scotia, she continues to work with Architects in Winnipeg. Ms. Smoke Stantec’s Iqaluit office. is the first female First Nations archi- tect in Manitoba and Ontario, and the second licensed in Canada. She is on the team representing Canada at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale.

HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 53 GATHERING CIRCLES / DESIGN-BUILD INITIATIVE

The Gathering Circles design-build discussions and a review of the stu- communities. the footprints of the animals asso- initiative was organized by Associ- dents’ schematic design ideas. The The nine tenants who attended ciated with the Seven Grandfather ate Professor Manuel Báez, MRAIC, origin story sparked the idea to re- the meeting at the Cummings site, Teachings engraved on its tur- from the Azrieli School of Archi- flect Turtle Island, the Indigenous called Madawan Place, emphasized tle-shell patterned base. The proj- tecture and Urbanism at Carleton name for North America, in each the needs and safety of children, a cir- ect is envisioned as an embracing University, along with RAIC consul- project, starting with a circular ce- cular design to hold gatherings, and eagle with 21 ribs supporting the tant Louise Atkins. The goal was to dar base with a turtle shell pattern. space for wheelchairs. The students overall structure. provide two structures as a lasting Next, there were consultation proposed a design strategy centred Schematic designs of the proj- offering to the local Indigenous meetings with the tenants of two around the significance of the eagle. ects were shown at the May 27, community. The initiative was made Gignul project sites in the Vanier The consultations led to the 2017 symposium and later, on possible through the generous as- and Cummings neighbourhoods in design of the two projects, envi- June 1, 2017, at the Ottawa Ab- sistance of Gignul Non-Profit Hous- Ottawa. sioned as places for elders, fami- original Coalition’s Community Fo- ing Corporation, an Ottawa Aborig- The 12 tenants who attended the lies and the young to meet for sto- rum at Ottawa City Hall. inal housing provider and member Vanier site meeting discussed the ry-telling and the transmission of Both projects required final of the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition need for security for the backyard lo- cultural identity, diversity, aware- construction-phase detailing and and Circle of Elders. cation of the project and comfortable ness, pride, and wisdom. full material selection as well as ad- The Gathering Circles de- seating heights. They favoured a cir- Both projects sit on circular, ditional funding for completion. sign-build course was offered as a cular design for gatherings amongst turtle-shell patterned cedar bas- Students who participated: six-week summer studio to under- themselves and visiting family mem- es, and provide a seating area that Guillermo Bourget Morales, Sally El graduate architecture students as bers. The students proposed a theme would face the entrance. The Vani- Sayed, Sophie Ganan Gavela, Argel part of their 2017 coursework. Thir- centred around the significance of er strawberry project has an exte- Javier, Sami Karimi, Cheshta Lal- teen students took part, later divid- the strawberry, of which the tenants rior shell with a spiral pattern and it, Lesley Jixuan Li, Danica Mitric, ing into two groups. The course be- approved. Because of its shape, the is supported by a frame consisting Sepideh Rajabzadeh, Ruamporn gan with reading several versions of strawberry is also referred to as the of thirteen ribs. The eagle-inspired (Ronnie) Ridthiprasart, Catherine the Sky Woman and Grandmother heart berry and is an important food Cummings project addressed the Sole, Tharmina Srikantharajah and Moon creation story followed by and medicine in many Indigenous importance of animals by having Wendy Run Di Yuan.

54 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium | 55 VOICES

Architecture in Indigenous communities should come from the community and be developed for each community’s needs. It is possible within Indigenous architecture to appropriate certain elements from one nation and transplant it to another nation where it is not as culturally relevant. Creating an architecture of reconciliation is not a business model.

- K. Jake Chakasim The procurement process is not functioning properly for Indigenous communities. The current model provides the lowest cost, and often lowest-quality product to a community which leads to long-term housing issues. Communities need to look to nature and the teachings of Elders regarding traditional ways of dwelling on their traditional territories. This knowledge, when combined with contemporary technologies, has the opportunity to create the most meaningful, and truly sustainable architecture in communities.

- Alfred Waugh For affordable, culturally appropriate housing to occur in communities, it must be led by the community in a community-driven bottom-up planning process. Passive House typically costs about five to seven percent more than typical construction, but the payback time is short, and long-term benefits far surpass the initial costs. Many remote communities are still heating with oil or diesel fuel, and the cost of this energy is enormous. Furthermore, well-constructed homes are far healthier for the residents of the homes.

- Kim Walton Participating in traditional ceremonies and prayer has helped me immensely in my architectural journey. I was denied these ceremonies as a youth, and accessing these ceremonies now guides my studies.

- James K. Bird

56 | HIGHLIGHTS REPORT RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium