Contract Instructor Opportunities, 2016-17

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 course: architecture 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, and in sharp contrast to John May’s assertion that “traditional vernacular architecture is disappearing”, a surge of indigenous-initiated environmental design initiatives has emerged in what is now Canada, much of it as unique 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 course will be focused on two fronts: A close examination of present-day architecture – traditional and contemporary, and a critical look at the colonial impacts of indigenous environmental design.
Qualifications:  Demonstrated familiarity with Aboriginal architecture; strong base in theory and history of aboriginal land use and architectural typologies, aboriginal vernacular architecture, architecture and planning on indigenous land; strong basis in theory and practice of indigenous-initiated environmental design initiatives.

In addition to traditional spaces that are actively and continuously being re-built within First Nation communities, new spaces of cultural interaction, places of healing, and buildings for traditional practice, among others, are being designed throughout the First Nation landscape. At times designed by outside planners and architects, while in other instances designed by community members, the set of spaces remains undocumented and underappreciated. Indigenous communities persist within sets of traditional design practices that extend to the distant past, albeit not necessarily obvious to the outside eye. Thus when added to the vast ethnographical, archaeological and historical record, the whole makes for a rich corpus to understand culture within the broader Canadian planning and architectural sphere.
Through directed readings, classroom discussions, and individual student research assignments, this seminar course will focus on specific case studies that highlight “architecture as culture” within First Nation communities across Canada.
Qualifications:  A demonstrated familiarity with contemporary architecture in First Nations contexts.  Strong knowledge of case studies and problematics of architecture, planning and culture, both contemporary and traditional, within the context of the First Nations.

Winter