Archinect - Features

Incorporating Culture Into Design: How Lessons Learned From Tribal Clients Shaped the Architecture of the Choctaw Nation Headquarters

2022-10-10T14:13:00-04:00

As architects, we are charged with creating spaces that not only meet our clients' functional needs but also present an aesthetic that embodies who the client is and what matters to them. When determining that aesthetic, a client's culture often becomes a key consideration. And while it may be tempting these days to rely on Google searches about the history of a certain heritage to save time, the most successful designers that incorporate culture respectfully and artfully take the time to listen and learn directly from their clients as they begin each new project.

This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land—COVID-19’s Impact on Indian Country

2020-07-03T14:45:00-04:00

As we prepare for the 4th of July holiday, we take this time to honor our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers. We reflect on what our relations fought for—these Indigenous lands which were stolen and used to create massive amounts of wealth for a privileged few, creating what we now call the United States of America. We acknowledge that not only do Native Americans serve in our armed forces at higher rates than any other demographic to date—we are also one of the most hard-hit communities during the coronavirus pandemic. For Indian Country, the problem is more than a lack of supplies and an overwhelmed health care system. A housing crisis is fanning the flames of a highly contagious virus, illuminating the role that housing has on our health.

Did we fight to end one form of oppression only to leave our families languishing under another?

Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day! Here's a look at some of our favorite contemporary practices led by Indigenous Architects

2017-10-09T10:06:00-04:00

This year, LA County made the long overdue choice to have the second Monday of October officially observed as Indigenous Peoples' Day. As a counter to the controversial Columbus Day, celebrated nationally on the same day, the shift redirects the holiday's focus on the land's original inhabitants and their many contributions.

Student Works: FOUNDhouse by Patrick Beseda and Lacy Williams

2014-02-05T13:56:00-05:00

When Patrick Beseda and Lacy Williams began realizing their ambition to build a micro-dwelling, they began with a Wikihouse design. The WikiHouse project is an open-source library of construction sets for houses, where anyone can submit, edit, and use the designs. The design's components can all be "printed" from plywood using a CNC machine, and are simple enough to assemble with minimal training. Lacy and Patrick, both MArch students at the University of Colorado, Denver, set out to build their own micro-Wikihouse last summer, personalizing the template along their way.