Patrick Reid Stewart

Patrick Robert Reid Stewart (Sim'oogit Ksi Bax̠hlkw) 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 near 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 has chaired the Provincial Indigenous Homelessness Committee in BC since 2005, the Indigenous Task Force for the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada since 2016, and was the first Aboriginal president of an architectural association, the Architectural Institute of British Columbia 2005-2007. 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 grades. After graduating high school, Stewart attended multiple universities, graduating from five different programs and obtaining his Ph.D. in 2015. 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 from 1984 to 1989. At the University of British Columbia, Stewart obtained his Ph. D.

Approach to architecture Stewart's architecture is focused on working with indigenous communities and organizations. In his practice, Stewart incorporates indigenous design principles and indigenous knowledge. 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.

The Sto:lo Resource Centre completed in 2010 offers a range of services such as archives, research, Treaty Outreach, Environmental Resource Management and others. “Built on the prior site of the Coqualeetza Residential School. Based on the traditional form of Qoqolaxel (the innovative inverted gable 'Watery-Eaves' longhouse at the junction of the Chilliwack & Fraser valleys), the Stó:lo People built a Siy:ám House; a place of respect, a place of culture, knowledge, economy, & sharing.”

The Gingolx Community Hall opened in October 2012. The name of the hall was called: Wilp Han‚ Äôii Amgootkws Gitingolx, the Gingolx Memorial Recreation Centre. The hall has many amenities including; a large gym floor covered by a protective rug system to preserve the floor during community events. It has a sound system, and seating with bleachers for sporting and other events. It also has a kitchen that can be used for feasts.

Publishing "Indigenous Architecture through Indigenous Knowledge - dion sagalt'apkw nisim (Together we will build a Village)". His dissertation on Indigenous culture and how it informs Indigenous architecture, issued in 2015. Our Voices II: the decolonial project (2021) was also published by ORO Ediitons.

Patrick is also the author of a book of poetry, Complex Intimacies (2021) and he is working on the forthcoming books, I Heard my Grandfather Speak in the Longhouse and Our Voices III: catalysts for change.