The Hidden Ground: Native American Intercultural Relations

Abstract

Over the last two decades, a trend has been developing in the design community to promote social equity and emphasize the ethical responsibility of design. Community participation, programming, and post-occupancy evaluations have cemented a more democratic design process in which users, clients, and community members are given a voice to affect the final architecture product through a process called participatory design. This modus operandi becomes more vital when dealing with subcultures that historically have felt marginalized from the dominant culture. In the United States, there is great diversity among Native Americans, but our mainstream culture tends to see them as a homogeneous group, focusing on their commonalities rather than discovering and understanding individual tribal values. With the blind acceptance of generalizations about any subculture, we may miss the critical details that shape the opportunity to showcase their uniqueness and celebrate their differences. Within the studio context, what learning modalities are best to implement a participatory and constructivist learning experience? Traditionally, studio teaching with project-based design focuses on students learning formal considerations of design such as theory, environmental/structural performance, and implementation of regulatory measures. The participatory design methodology (PDM) differs in its approach by focusing on a process that emerges from all players. It does not dictate design but creates an environment that allows it to emerge through the process and interactions. The PDM process prioritizes collective synergy and creativity using participation techniques to allow for alternative solutions. In response to an inquiry by the Pawnee Native American Tribe, which invited us to investigate a proper approach to conduct design propositions within their land, this paper will report the lessons learned from the process and will exhibit alternate ways of implementing design ideas, using methodologies that expand the boundaries of academia while reaching out to native communities.