Patrick Reid Stewart, (Luugigyoo) is a Canadian-born Nisga’a architect, designer and educator based in British Columbia. “Dr. Patrick Stewart, a citizen of the Nisga'a Nation in north-western British Columbia has been operating his architectural practice in Sto:lo territory in Chilliwack, B.C. since 1997.” Stewart is the first Aboriginal person in British Columbia to own and operate an architectural firm and consequently his works have a First Nations community development focus. He heads the Provincial Indigenous Homelessness Committee in BC, as well as the Indigenous Task Force for the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and was the first Aboriginal president of an architectural association, the Architectural Institute of British Columbia. Stewart is also an adjunct professor of architecture at Laurentian University for the McEwen School of Architecture in Sudbury, Ontario.
History
Born in British Columbia, Stewart is part of the Nisga’a First Nation, and was “born homeless” as his mother was homeless at the time so was not allowed to take Patrick from the hospital. Stewart was in foster care from birth, and moved often while growing up. Through high school, Stewart's home life began to affect his studies, and he began missing classes. From a young age Stewart knew that he wanted to be involved in the architecture field, but did not think it possible based on his family background. After graduating high school, Stewart attended multiple universities, graduating from five different programs and obtaining his Ph.D. in 2015. Stewart is now an accomplished architect with over 20 completed projects and has been the head of multiple committees and organizations, such as the National Aboriginal Housing Association and the president of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia. His firm, Patrick Stewart Architect, has been operating since 1995, being the first Indigenous person to own and operate an architectural practice in British Columbia.
Education
Until 1951 in Canada, Indigenous people had to give up their First Nations identity under the Indian Act if they wanted to enter high school or university or a professional field. In 1978, Stewart graduated from Simon Fraser University in the Bachelor of Arts program. He then went on to the Technical University of Nova Scotia, graduating from the Bachelors of Environmental Design Studies (B.E.D.S.) in 1980, and a Bachelors in Architecture (B.Arch.) in 1983. He then pursued his master's degree in Architecture (M. Arch.) at McGill University in 1989. At the University of British Columbia, Stewart obtained his Ph. D. The repeal of the Indian Act allowed Stewart to become one of the first Indigenous architects in Canada to have graduated from university with his First Nations identity untouched. Stewart now continues in the education field as an adjunct professor at McEwen School of Architecture in Sudbury, Ontario, which prides itself on its cultural learning environment for the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.
Approach to architecture
Stewart's architecture is focused on working with indigenous communities. In his practice, Stewart incorporates indigenous design principles and indigenous knowledge. In 2015, Stewart issued his dissertation titled: "Indigenous Architecture through Indigenous Knowledge - dim sagalts'apkw nisim" (Together we will build a Village). “The purpose of this research was to find out how the culture of an Indigenous architect informs their practice of architecture. The research was based on an Indigenous methodology of respect, reciprocity, redistribution, relevance, reflection, relationship and responsibility. Conversations with nineteen Indigenous architects from Turtle Island, Australia, Cihuatan (El Salvador) and Aotearoa (New Zealand) were recorded, transcribed with content analyzed. They self-identified their culture and its influence on their design work.” Stewart was chosen as the architect for many indigenous organizations projects due to his background as a Nisga’a designer. His personal architectural style has been developed through working with indigenous elders, organizations and influenced by prominent First Nations architects in Canada, especially Douglas Cardinal.
Architectural works
Stewart was selected as the architect to design the Dave Pranteau Aboriginal Children's Village in Vancouver. The building is a living space for indigenous children and youth in care.
