Indian Country Today

After confronting imperial designs in two capitals, Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal has returned home to the work of building Native communities. His recent breakthroughs in village design could well turn out to be among his most significant achievements. This is no trivial statement for the 76-year-old Cardinal, Blackfoot/Metis, who has been called the most significant Canadian architect by no less an authority than Philip Johnson, widely regarded as one of the most significant U.S. architects. Cardinal has left his mark in both Ottawa and Washington, D.C., as the designer of each capital's museum of Native culture. But colleagues say these projects fail to tell the complete story of an illustrious and vibrant career, one that includes a passion for planning Native communities. Since he returned full-time to this work, his results are drawing praise for their startling combination of indigenous spirit and innovative technology. One Cree village named Ouje'-Bougoumou was designed and built in the early 1990s and has received international recognition. Plans for another village for the Kamloops Indian Band were recently approved by the tribal council. Both reflect a vision of a modern settlement based on traditional Native life.