The RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium series—led by the RAIC Indigenous Task Force—provides a platform for Indigenous architects, designers, students, and communities to lead national and international dialogue on reconciliation, design justice, and cultural leadership in the built environment.
2017 Symposium
Theme: Reconciliation, place-making, and identity
Location: Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, Ottawa, ON
This historic event, the first major project of the RAIC Indigenous Task Force, brought together over 20 Indigenous architects, designers, students, and thought leaders from Canada, the U.S., Australia, and Aotearoa (New Zealand). The symposium led directly to Canada’s UNCEDED: Voices of the Land exhibition at the 2018 Venice Biennale in Architecture, an Indigenous-led representation of Canada on the world stage.
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The symposium emphasized:
- The importance of community-led design processes
- The role of Indigenous identity and storytelling in architecture
- The need for long-term, culturally grounded solutions to challenges in Northern, rural, and urban Indigenous communities
Featured speakers included:
Members of Ngā Aho, Māori design professionals from New Zealand
Douglas Cardinal, FRAIC
Wanda Dalla Costa, Saddle Lake First Nation
Alfred Waugh, Fond Du Lac (Denesuline) Nation
Harriet Burdett-Moulton, Métis/Inuit
2017 Symposium Highlight Report
Download2021 Virtual Symposium
Theme: Indigenous representation, storytelling, and sovereignty
This event, hosted by the RAIC Indigenous Task Force, together practitioners and scholars to share work that advances decolonization and self-determination through design.
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Sessions highlighted the resurgence of Indigenous worldviews in contemporary architectural practice and emphasized the importance of relational collaboration with communities. The symposium also featured discussions on education, mentorship, and the challenges faced by Indigenous architects navigating colonial systems. It served as a national gathering point to share progress, build networks, and continue the momentum of Indigenous-led transformation in the built environment.
2021 Symposium Highlights Report
Download2022 Virtual Symposium
Theme: Emerging Indigenous voices in architecture
Centered on the graduate research of four Indigenous Master of Architecture students, the event offered powerful insight into how identity, land, justice, and storytelling are shaping future design practice.
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Presenters explored themes such as healing architecture, traditional dwelling knowledge, urban visibility, and democratization of the profession. These deeply personal and community-rooted projects underscored the critical importance of supporting Indigenous youth in architecture. The event reflected the RAIC’s commitment to fostering platforms for Indigenous-led knowledge and amplifying student voices in professional spaces.