Housing as Cosmology (not Commodity)

Architects Against Housing Alienation

Demand: “First Nations Home Building Lodges”

Location: Venice, Italy

Date: 2023

Client: Canada Council for the Arts

Collaborators: One House Many Nations (Dr. Alex Wilson, Sylvia McAdam, Sadie Phoenix Lavoie); Grounded Architecture; SOLO Architecture (Jason Surkan); University of Manitoba (Lancelot Coar, Shawn Bailey, Naomi Ratte, Honoure Black, Luxmy Ragunathan, Laurie Aftanas); Celina Rios Nadeau, Matthew Baker (DTFA)

The housing crisis on reserves in what is now known as Canada has resulted in extreme shortages and poor living conditions for First Nations peoples. Federal funding for housing on reserves mostly produces standardized homes that ignore the diverse needs and cultural identities of these communities. The jobs in the design and construction industries that arise through this funding rarely benefit the communities directly, since the overwhelming majority of consultants come from far-off locations, This results in housing that is a colonial commodity rather than an expression of identity, an embodiment of opportunity, or a holistically healthful home. We need a different approach that cultivates and maintains housing capacity within First Nations communities. We demand federal funding to support the establishment of First Nations Home Building Lodges on reserves in collaboration with communities across the country. Investment in Home Building Lodges will allow communities to ground the design and production of houses within their own context and stories, providing an opportunity for housing to express their unique sets of values, language, and epistemology – providing a meaningful pathway towards housing sovereignty. The Home Building Design Lodge serves to support, guide, and enhance a new manufacturing facility, fostering community engagement and cultural preservation. The Lodge serves as a catalyst to disrupt current housing models and repositions housing production as a way to preserve culture. It’s adaptable and scalable, reflecting each community’s ecological, spiritual, and cultural richness. The future proliferation of Home Building Lodges across the country will offer essential support to the inspiring grassroots initiatives currently underway on many reserves that address the housing crisis through extensive community engagement.