Indigenous Architects Redesign Canada: Renewing Architecture and Place

This article explores a new generation of Indigenous architects in Canada. They are reshaping urban spaces by weaving Indigenous aesthetics, materials, and ceremonial practices into contemporary civic design.

It spotlights Toronto’s Anishnawbe Health Centre as a striking example. The centre shows how architecture can reclaim presence, serve communities, and influence the broader cityscape beyond dedicated cultural buildings.

Reshaping urban landscapes with Indigenous design

Across Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver, Indigenous-led design studios are rethinking how public buildings connect with place and community. Architects are moving beyond isolated heritage projects to integrate storytelling, ceremony, and local knowledge into everyday civic form.

By embedding Indigenous perspectives into modern construction, designers aim to create spaces that are hospitable, healthy, and inclusive. This shift signals a broader recognition of Indigenous voices in professional practice and the governance of public spaces.

Case study: Anishnawbe Health Toronto center by Two Row Architects

At the heart of this shift is the Anishnawbe Health Toronto center, designed by Two Row Architects. The project features design elements such as stainless-steel bead fringe and perforated aluminum panels that reference jingle dresses and ceremonial shawls.

These elements signal an architectural language rooted in Indigenous traditions. As part of a planned Indigenous Hub, the health centre blends Western and traditional medicine, serving more than 90,000 local Indigenous people.

Architects like Matthew Hickey, a Mohawk partner at Two Row, describe the work as a response to decades of exclusion. The built environment has historically been dominated by European models that often erased Indigenous identities.

This project shows that Indigenous-led design can be functional and culturally expressive. It is profoundly community-centered and extends its impact beyond a single facility.

Design language and symbolism in Indigenous-led architecture

These projects stand out not only for their aesthetics but also for their use of movement, sound, and material symbolism. Indigenous architecture is expanding the traditional toolkit of Canadian design.

Instead of focusing only on monumental or visually striking buildings, this approach invites participation, ceremony, and shared experience. The language of these buildings often carries stories of place and community service, embedding cultural practices into daily urban life.

As these projects enter the public realm, they serve as reminders of Indigenous presence and governance in cities. The aim is to influence the broader cityscape—affecting how public space, health services, housing, and commerce are conceived and delivered.

Key themes shaping the public realm

• Community-centered design that prioritizes lived experience, accessibility, and health outcomes.
• Material symbolism using local materials and forms that reference Indigenous ceremonial objects and practices.
• Storytelling and ceremony as formal design tools to convey place-based histories and values.
• Reclaiming presence and sovereignty through architecture that asserts Indigenous identities in urban settings.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration combining traditional knowledge with Western medical, housing, and retail planning.

Implications for practice, policy and the city

The rise of Indigenous-led architecture shows a growing recognition of Indigenous voices in professional practice and public commissions. It challenges conventional ideas of functionality and monumentality by focusing on narrative and relational design.

As Indigenous architects take on major projects, cities can see how architecture supports reconciliation, social equity and cultural resilience. These projects still deliver practical outcomes for health, housing and public spaces.

For clients, developers and public agencies, this means adopting a more inclusive design brief. Such briefs value local knowledge, ceremonial storytelling and long-term community benefit.

It also signals a shift toward long-term partnerships with Indigenous communities. This ensures projects remain responsive to changing needs and respect sovereignty in urban environments.

 
Here is the source article for this story: ‘Now We Have a Voice’: Indigenous Architects Redesign Canada