Enabling Indigenous urban design : an examination of theory and precedents for application in Winnipeg

This research paper explores strategies for including Indigenous identities in the design of urban spaces and provides recommendations for the City of Winnipeg. As Canada’s Indigenous population is now primarily situated in urban areas there is growing demand for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultural expression to influence the design of the spaces these populations inhabit in cities. A review of salient literature pertaining to Indigenous involvement in planning processes and the translation of culture into urban design provides a theoretical basis for further investigation. Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand’s Maori Design Principles are used as a relevant precedent study. The search for precedents uncovers that practice is lagging far behind theory. Theory and precedent study inform a series of recommended actions for the City of Winnipeg with the intent of enabling Indigenous urban design in both reserve and off-reserve settings.