WANDA DALLA COSTA
TAWAW Architecture Collective
SAY IT LOUD - ARIZONA Exhibitor
Arizona Based Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
The narrative of underserved voices in architecture inspires me, as does the ancestral wisdoms that come from the conversations and serving the next generation of Indigenous designers.
WANDA DALLA COSTA
Bio:
I am a member of Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Northern Alberta and became the first First Nation woman to become a registered architect in Canada. I am an advocate for Indigenous communities, and my mission is to increase authentic representation, ensure functionality of cultural spaces, and expand cross-cultural dialogue through architecture. Besides my professional career, I am a mother of two beautiful children and love to read, seeking more ways of knowledge for my home and career.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I started a 6-month backpacking journey, growing to 7 years over 40 countries. I experienced cultural lifeways, identity and worldview of many cultures and that led me to architecture school to explore rebuilding connections through architecture.
What do you do?
I am Principal for Tawaw Architecture Collective and founded the Indigenous Design Collaborative, a community design center which brings together tribal community members and Asu team to co-design and co-develop solutions for tribal communities.
What excites you in the work you do?
Innovation in design research (in both methods and product development) excites me. We are currently employing AI to code cultural data to make it easier to engage diverse perspectives in architecture.
Who or what inspires you professionally?
The narrative of underserved voices in architecture inspires me, as does the ancestral wisdoms that come from the conversations and serving the next generation of Indigenous designers.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
My proudest achievement is to work with the next generation, sharing the ways that we can uplift narratives of our communities towards transformational change in architecture and planning.
Featured Project Name:
Chippewa of the Thames First Nation Heritage Hub
Featured Project Location:
Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, Ontario, Canada
Featured Project Completion Date:
Unbuilt - Schematic Design
Role in Featured Project:
Principal Owner, Design Team
Featured Project Description:
The Heritage Hub aims to preserve the Chippewa of Thames ways of knowing, while improving access to cultural lifeways and increasing economic development. The community shared their traditions of mound building, which inspired the form and sitting of the structure embedded in the earth; and the community’s traditional woodland patterning and constellation teachings vitalize the project. The Heritage Hub serves as a cultural center, governance building, guest accommodations and cultural grounds.
