Webday Wednesday - Indigenous Planning and Architecture: Thoughts on Practicing with an Open Mind

Title: Indigenous Planning and Architecture: Thoughts on Practicing with an Open Mind
Date: September 30, 2020
Presenter: Dr. Daniel Millette

SESSION:

In spite of several hundred years of difficult challenges that include culturally destructive colonial strategies, many Indigenous communities are experiencing a period of self-actualized revitalization whereby “culture” is openly celebrated and outwardly presented. This is apparent through art, language and tradition, all manifested through a number of community facets, including the topic of this session: Environmental design on Indigenous lands. Many traditional tenets related to architectural design are shared by First Nations; respect for the land, for instance, is common to all indigenous peoples, as are consideration for environmental consequences, traditional land-use planning and architectural design features such as cultural representations through tectonic assemblies that tell a story and contain mnemonics related to the culture from which it emanates. Indeed, a surge of Indigenous-initiated environmental design initiatives has emerged in what is now Canada, much of it as unique planning schemas or architectural typologies brought about by new, or renewed needs. This is design that derives from beyond place and program; it stems directly from cultural consequences.

This webinar will be focused on two fronts: A critical look at the colonial impacts on Indigenous environmental design, and a close examination of present-day architecture within the Indigenous landscape.

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

•  Describe the colonial impacts on Indigenous environmental design. 
• Identify the colonial lens when looking at Indigenous design. 
• Discuss present-day environmental design (within and beyond Indigenous communities) by Indigenous architects. 
• Explore Identify potential synergies and partnership dynamics between Indigenous planners and Architects. 

PRESENTER:

Dr. Daniel M. Millette MASA, MA, PhD, RPA, RPP, MCIP
Adjunct Research Professor
Carleton University

Daniel Millette has worked on Indigenous land matters for approximately twenty-five years. He has visited over 250 First Nation communities, documenting planning and architectural examples. He specializes in land use planning, land strategizing, and land use - economic development interfacing, with an aim at empowering individual communities through self-governing over unique sets of lands and resources. As a Registered Professional Planner, he has worked throughout Canada and within a variety of legal Indigenous land frameworks including Treaty and Framework Agreement on First Nation Lands. As a Registered Professional Archaeologist, he maintains a research program on ancient planning techniques and their relevance within contemporary planning models. At the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia, he taught Theory and Environmental Design History as well as Studio in Indigenous Architecture. As Adjunct Professor in the History and Theory of Architecture program at Carleton University, he teaches Indigenous Planning and Architecture. Concurrently, he is completing a book on Indigenous communities across Canada, documenting successes in planning and architecture.

Continuing education learning hours: 1 credit

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, September 28 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 30 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.