Indigenous Task Force

ABOUT THE RAIC INDIGENOUS TASK FORCE  

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Indigenous Task Force (ITF) was officially launched on June 9, 2016, in Snuneymuxw territory (Nanaimo, British Columbia) during the 2016 RAIC Festival of Architecture. 

 “The Task Force seeks ways to foster and promote Indigenous design in Canada”, said then RAIC President Allan Teramura, FRAIC, who was instrumental in founding the Indigenous Task Force.   

 The core purpose of the ITF is to foster and promote Indigenous design and architecture in Canada in rural, Métis, and Northern communities, First Nations and urban spaces, and to advocate with and on behalf of Indigenous communities. The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the ITF strongly believe that architecture is a public-spirited profession with an important role in reconciliation – addressing injustices by giving agency back to Indigenous people.   

 The ITF is chaired by Dr. Patrick Luugigyoo Stewart (Nisga’a), MRAIC. Over 30 individuals who are Indigenous or who work in Indigenous contexts are members of the ITF, including architects, designers, academics, intern architects, and architectural students.  

LATEST NEWS

RAIC 2022 INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN SYMPOSIUM: EMERGING INDIGENOUS VOICES
 

RAIC 2021 INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN SYMPOSIUM  

The RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium is hosted by the RAIC Indigenous Task Force. The Symposium focuses on Indigenous representation, narratives and collaborations.   

 Read the full report here.

To learn more about the 2021 Symposium, click here.
 

The inaugural symposium took place on May 27, 2017, at the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health in Ottawa. The symposium’s theme was Reconciliation, Place-Making, and Identity. Presenters spoke about a variety of design and other issues facing Indigenous communities across Canada and internationally. Overarching themes emerged, such as the inclusion of local Indigenous communities in the design process, incorporation of traditional design elements, the preservation of culture, and remembrance of history. The feeling of optimism, energy, and momentum at the symposium inspired members of the RAIC’s Indigenous Task Force, led by Douglas Cardinal, FRAIC, to submit a successful proposal to the Canada Council for the Arts to represent Canada at the 2018 Venice Biennale in Architecture. Their project, titled UNCEDED: Voices of the Land, was on public display from May 26 – November 25, 2018, at the international exhibition.  

Read about the results of the inaugural Symposium (2017) here. 

Additional resource: Four Case Studies Exemplifying Best Practices in Architectural Co-design and Building with First Nations.