The Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary is hosting a symposium geared to encouraging Indigenous students to pursue careers in architecture, planning and landscape architecture.
The Indigenous Design Thinking symposium on Jan. 25, 2018 is the first of its kind to be held at the university. It will feature seven established Indigenous designers who will provide insight and spark dialogue on pursuing post-secondary education for design-related careers, focusing on how Indigenous designers approach the design of places, buildings and landscapes.
The Keynote speaker is the distinguished and internationally recognized Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal. Raised in Alberta, Cardinal is renowned for his curvilinear designs that reflect the Indigenous landscapes of Alberta, as well as his interest in European Expressionist architecture. Well-known works include the St. Mary’s Church in Red Deer (1964), Grande Prairie Regional College (1976), the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec (1989), and the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. (1998). He will make two presentations at the symposium; the first will be an informal recounting of his motivations and influences to study architecture, and the second will be about his architectural and community designs.
The Indigenous Design Thinking symposium will be the first event of its kind to be held following the recent launch of the University of Calgary’s Indigenous Strategy ii’ taa’ poh’ to’ p. “This strategy provides an opportunity for the university to take an important and meaningful step on the path towards reconciliation to reset, revisit, and revitalize our relationship with Indigenous communities throughout the region,” the university’s website explains.
Attendance is by registration only, with limited seating available at MacEwan Hall. More information — as well as the registration page — is also available via the event’s official website, linked here.