Structures for Inclusion Conference 2026

Indigenous Public Interest Design: Cultural Knowledge and Practices
About this Event

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

The Structures for Inclusion (SFI) Conference will be held at Portland State University on October 8, 9, & 10th 2026, co-organized by Design Corps and The Center for Public Interest Design along with the SEED Network, and ITECK. The theme for the conference is "Indigenous Public Interest Design: Cultural Knowledge and Practices," and presentations will highlight projects, architects, designers, engineers, and planners that exemplify Indigenous Public Interest Design. This three-day, in-person event will feature speakers and practitioners sharing Indigenous cultural knowledge and practices and their value in the built and natural environments.

For more information, visit our Structures for Inclusion Website

ORGANIZERS
Design Corps & the SEED Network

First held in 2000 by Design Corps, the purpose of the SFI conferences has been to share the best ideas and practices that are reaching those currently underserved by architecture. So for twenty-six years, Design Corps has hosted SFI conferences with various design organizations showcasing the most impactful ideas and projects addressing Social, Economic and Environmental Design (SEED) utilizing the SEED Evaluator methodology of Design Corps’ SEED Network. This conference will provide a community of shared interests to learn, network, and share.

The Center for Public Interest Design (CPID)

The Center for Public Interest Design (CPID) is a research and action center at Portland State University's School of Architecture dedicated to inclusive design practices that address the growing needs of underserved communities worldwide. Through research, fieldwork, and community engagement, they promote a mode of practice that is socially conscious, environmentally sustainable, and economically accessible to all. The CPID fosters interdisciplinary collaboration among professionals, faculty, students, and community partners to advance the emerging field of public interest design.

The Indigenous Traditional Ecological & Cultural Knowledge

Indigenous Traditional Ecological & Cultural Knowledge (ITECK) - The Indigenous Traditional Ecological & Cultural Knowledge (ITECK) Program tends to the land in and around what is now called Portland, Oregon, while cultivating community amongst Indigenous peoples, cohorts, and our plant and animal relatives. This transdisciplinary, multifunctional program interweaves ITECK within Western academic structures to uplift Indigenous voices and reclaim the urban landscape for food, medicine, and ceremony. The ITECK Program engages with local Tribes and the urban Native community and provides educational opportunities for K-12 and PSU students. We strive to advance Indigenous science and ways of knowing through collaborative projects and advising with agency partners, local non-profits, and programs within Portland State University and the region.

DETAILS
Accommodations

For questions about the Hotel Zags reservation block, please contact Will Franklin at [email protected].

Reserve your room with by calling 503-221-0140.

We look forward to gathering in October to honor Indigenous knowledge, celebrate community, and shape more inclusive futures together. Join us!

Thursday Oct 8th

🕑: 03:00 PM - 06:00 PM
Registration

Info: Join us in Lincoln Hall

🕑: 04:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Salmon Bake + Welcome Gathering

Info: Enjoy salmon bites & conference kickoff!

🕑: 05:45 PM - 06:00 PM
Opening Address
🕑: 06:10 PM - 07:10 PM
Keynote: Joseph Kunkel
Friday Oct 9th

🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Registration + Coffee
🕑: 08:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Sharing Knowledge Sessions

Info: 1) Indigenous Design Methods: Pedagogy + Framework, 2) Indigenous Design Pedagogy + Curriculum, 3) Indigenous Design Challenges + Opportunities in Professional Practice

🕑: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Sharing Knowledge Sessions

Info: 1) Honoring Forest Management Panel, 2) Storytelling as Collaborative Past + Futures, 3) Urban Indigenous Experience & Spatial Justice

🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:15 PM - 02:30 PM
Sharing Knowledge Sessions

Info: 1) Oak Savanna: Education + Pedagogy, 2) Inclusion: Proposals, Collaborations and Funding, 3) Sovereignty + Indigenous Public Interest Design, 4) Place-based Agency + Resilience

🕑: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Panel Discussion: Sharing what we learned

Info: Led by moderators from Sharing Knowledge Sessions

🕑: 04:15 PM - 05:15 PM
Keynote: ZGF & Yakima

Info: Cultivating Cultural Ecosystems with Intentional Wood Sourcing

🕑: 05:15 PM - 05:30 PM
Closing Remarks
🕑: 07:00 PM - 08:30 PM
These Sacred Hills Movie Screening + Panel

Info: Free + Optional in Shattuck Hall 212

Saturday Oct 10th

🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Check in + Coffee

Info: Lincoln Hall

🕑: 08:30 AM - 10:00 AM
I-SEED Awards Presentation: Exemplary Indigenous Design
🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:40 AM
I-SEED Award Jury Discussion
🕑: 10:55 AM - 11:40 AM
Keynote: Sergio Palleroni

Info: Everything is Interrelated

🕑: 11:40 AM - 12:00 PM
The Conversation Continues
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch

Info: Self Provided

🕑: 01:00 PM
Tours Depart

Info: 1) PDX Airport with ZGF (please meet at the NASCC Bus Loop), 2) ITECK + Oak Savanna (Please meet in NASCC Reception), 3) PLACE Studio (Self Transport, meet at PLACE) *Note that these all start at the same time, so only one tour is possible to go on at this time.