Webday Wednesday - NOT FOR US WITHOUT US: Pursuing Design with Indigenous Communities in a Good Way

Title: NOT FOR US WITHOUT US: Pursuing Design with Indigenous Communities in a Good Way
Date: September 9, 2020
Presenter: Patrick R. Stewart (Nisga’a), PhD, M.Arch., B.Arch, BEDS, BA Architect AIBC, MRAIC, LEED AP, Adjunct Professor  

SESSION:

In the wake of generations of failed architecture by colonial governments there is a growing international network of Indigenous registered architects working to change the architectural agenda within their nations.  

It is recognized by indigenous architects that design in our communities can no longer be done through a colonial lens by non-indigenous architects. The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Article 31.1 affirms that Indigenous Peoples have the right to develop literatures, designs, intellectual property, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions. Though numbering about one-quarter of one percent of the number of architects in Canada, indigenous architects have begun to organize and speak out through initiatives such as UNCEDED, the 2018 Canadian entry to the Venice Architectural Biennale, the Indigenous Task Force (ITF) of the RAIC and the book series, our voices: indigeneity and architecture (2018) and the our voices II: the decolonial project (2020). As chair and member of the ITF, we have been organizing International Indigenous Design Symposiums. We held the first one in Ottawa in 2017 with all indigenous presenters. Our second one was supposed to happen this year in Edmonton but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next one is being planned for June 2021 in Montreal. This is a safe place/space where indigenous voices come together to share/learn and heal from the effects of colonization. 

We must be allowed to acknowledge and express indigenous design methodologies as ways of privileging indigenous ways of being. It is in this way that we can also create discursive spaces where relationships, reciprocity, redistribution, relevance, reflection, respect and responsibility can emerge and support knowing and doing within an ever changing and evolving architectural context. It is not about describing or comparing the knowledges of local communities. This is an acknowledgement that there is not one global indigenous way of life or set of knowledges that essentializes indigeneity in architecture.  

Today’s webinar is introductory in nature as it outlines some of the principles that I follow when working within an indigenous community as an indigenous practitioner. It is based on over 40 years of experience starting as a young architectural student trying to bring the idea of indigeneity into the academy…it’s had its challenges and its successes, and it continues to evolve. Given that those of us practicing today are the first generation of indigenous architects ever to practice in this country, it is up to us to plant the seeds for the next generations behind us. With that I say, welcome to this webinar and may our discussions be respectful / responsible / reciprocal / reflective / relevant and redistributive as we build a relationship that will continue to grow long after this session concludes.  

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate situating yourself in your project/research
• Analyze a project as to whether it is a design inspired by Indigenous peoples or it incorporates indigenous design methodologies uniquely associated with indigenous designers
• Demonstrate analysis of a indigenous design project context
• Explain and present concepts of an indigenous design research methodology

BIO:

Patrick R. Stewart (Nisga’a), PhD, M.Arch., B.Arch, BEDS, BA Architect AIBC, MRAIC, LEED AP, Adjunct Professor  
McEwen School of Architecture, Laurentian University 
SALA, University of British Columbia  

Dr. Patrick Reid Stewart is a member of the Killerwhale House of Daxaan of the Nisga’a Village of Gingolx. He is a hereditary Nisga’a name-holder. His Nisga’a name is Luugigyoo [Calm Waters]. 

Patrick was the first Indigenous registered architect in BC and the first Indigenous Architect to own and operate an Architectural firm in BC. And the first Indigenous person to be President of the Architectural Institute of BC.  

He is the Chair of the RAIC Indigenous Task Force and Chair of the Provincial Aboriginal Homelessness Committee in BC. He is an Adjunct Professor at both the McEwen School of Architecture at Laurentian University and the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) at the University of British Columbia. 

Patrick completed a PhD (2015) at the University of British Columbia. The title of his dissertation was, indigenous architecture through indigenous knowledge: dim sagalts`apkw nisim [together we will build a village]. He is also an alumnus of McGill, Dalhousie and Simon Fraser Universities. 

Continuing education learning hours: 1 credit

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, September 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET

WEBINAR REGISTRATION FEE:
$50 for RAIC members, plus applicable taxes.
$75 for non-members, plus applicable taxes.

SCHEDULE: The Webinar will take place on Wednesday, September 9 at 1 p.m. ET in English.
The Canada-wide schedule by time zone is:

More information, including online access instructions and a PDF copy of the slides will be sent to you by email on the Tuesday prior to the Webday webinar. 

*Purchase of webinars and events are non-transferable.