Supporting Indigenous Initiated Architecture in Canada Through the Architectural Curriculum - REGULAR

Supporting Indigenous Initiated Architecture in Canada Through the Architectural Curriculum

This webinar was part of the RAIC 2021 Virtual Conference on Architecture and the RAIC Internation and Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium

Topics: Indigenous Design, Indigenous Voices

Length: 1 hour | What's Included: Video, Quiz, and Certificate of Completion 

This webinar is available to stream! 

Making Room for New Indigenous Voices on the Leading Edge of Architecture Practice

Recently an increasing number of Indigenous communities have decided to take charge of their built environment. They are now insisting that their built environments speak of and reflect their cultures. The communities have realized that they can and must demand this. However, this means that they have to learn how to participate in the creative process that leads to the development of their built environments. They are not expected to suddenly develop design professional skills (although this will come), but rather are expected to understand what role they can play in the design process. They must become aware of how to work with their architectural partners and, especially, how important and significant their input is in the design process.
Introducing Indigenous-initiated projects as part of architectural design studios have proven quite successful for both the communities and the soon-to-become architects.
A recently completed design studio will be presented; the Kanien’keha: ka Onkwawén: na Raotitiohkwa Linguistic, Cultural and Theater Center project in the community of Kahnawà: ke.third-year students learn how to reach out to communities and meet with them to discover the specificities of the culture in order to achieve the level of understanding and sensitivity that are the prelude to co-creation and participative design. Students go through the four essential steps that prepare and guide them through the design process; identifying the traditional owners, gathering information, building relationships, and visioning. At the same time, community members accompany the students through these steps. The co-creation exercise is an ideal forum to initiate real dialogue. It is truth and  reconciliation not just in words but in action, trying to make a difference by learning to work together.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the completion of this session, the participant/learner will be able to:

• Describe the expectations of Indigenous communities in regards to the design of their built environment.
• Explain what architects need to do in order to fulfill the expectations of indigenous communities in a meaningful way.
• Describe the four steps of the design process that are essential to foster co creation and participative design.
• Describe the various lessons that Indigenous community members take away from their participation to architectural student design studios.

Subject Matter Experts

Alain Fournier, FRAIC, OAQ, OAA, ALBNL, AANB, AIBC, NWTAA / Architect, Managing Partner, EVOQ Architecture

Kawennanóron Lisa Phillips, Executive Director, Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center