A gathering rooted in Land Culture Design Relationship Responsibility Community
Indigenous frameworks in the built environment
Sustainable by design
Native American & Indigenous Planning and Design Frameworks for the Built Environment
April 6, University of Arizona Hosted by the Indigenous Society of Architecture, Planning and Design
This symposium brought together Indigenous designers, students, and community members to share knowledge, build connection, and center Indigenous frameworks in the built environment. What took place was not just a series of talks, but a moment of alignment around land, culture, and responsibility in design.
What This Was
Sustainable by Design was a one-day symposium focused on Indigenous approaches to architecture, planning, and design. Organized by ISAPD, the event created space for dialogue around sustainability, community-centered design, and Indigenous knowledge systems within the built environment.
It brought together students, faculty, and practitioners to reflect on how design can move beyond extraction and toward relationship, reciprocity, and long-term care for land and community.
Why This Gathering Matters
In fields where Indigenous perspectives are often underrepresented, this symposium created visibility, access, and connection. It highlighted design approaches that are not new, but have existed long before institutions recognized them.
This was about more than architecture.
It was about:
- Who gets to design
- What knowledge is valued
- How we build in relationship to land and people
The day
Connecting People, Culture, and Nature
Sundt Gallery - Athena Steen led a conversation on integrated living systems, exploring how building practices can reflect friendship, simplicity, and relationship to place.
Building with Natural Materials
Materials Lab - Participants worked directly with clay and natural materials, grounding design in touch, process, and material understanding.
Sustainable by Design Panel
Center for Creative Photography - Johnpaul Jones, Ted Jojola, and Wanda Dalla Costa shared perspectives on Indigenous design frameworks, sustainability, and the role of cultural knowledge in shaping the built environment.
Voices That Shaped the Conversation
Indigenous practitioners and leaders whose work continues to shape how design is understood and practiced.
Johnpaul Jones
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Dr. Ted Jojola
Indigenous Planning + Community Development
Wanda Dalla Costa
COMMUNITY DESIGN + INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURE
Athena Steen
LAND-BASED PRACTICE
This symposium was not a one-time event.
It reflects a growing movement within ISAPD to create space for Indigenous knowledge, representation, and leadership in architecture, planning, and design.
The conversations, relationships, and ideas that emerged here continue through student work, community engagement, and future gatherings.
This is ongoing.
This is building.
About ISAPD
The Indigenous Society of Architecture, Planning and Design exists to support Indigenous students and uplift Indigenous knowledge in the built environment.
Through events, community-building, and shared learning, ISAPD creates space for Indigenous perspectives to lead.
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