Unclaimed brand
Tawaw Architecture Collective Inc. is an Indigenous-owned design and research firm with offices in Calgary, Alberta and Phoenix, Arizona. Our interdisciplinary team delivers full-service architecture, specializing in human-centered design, and evidence-based design. Tawaw means “there is room” in Cree. The firm’s mission is to increase understanding, inclusiveness, and authenticity in the field while illuminating under-examined ancestral worldviews and value systems that have the potential to contribute to global transformation. Our process is grounded in the Indigenous Placekeeping Framework™ — a flexible, community-rooted model shaped by lived knowledge, not just theory. We amplify Indigenous worldviews and push the boundaries of what design can be: not just buildings, but vessels of memory, connection, and cultural continuity. At Tawaw, design is not something we bring—it’s something we uncover, together.
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Hex Code
Color name
RGB
HSL
CMYK
#DC8151
Terracotta
220, 129, 81
21, 67, 59
0, 41, 63, 14
#000600
Deep Fir
0, 6, 0
120, 100, 1
100, 0, 100, 98
#EBBB7E
Tacao
235, 187, 126
34, 73, 71
0, 20, 46, 8
Tawaw Architecture Collective is an architecture and design practice guided by a human-centered approach and a commitment to uncovering the stories of the land and its people. Rather than imposing design solutions, the collective describes its process as collaborative, drawing out ideas together with the communities and partners connected to each place. Its work spans architecture, public spaces, cultural facilities, education, housing, and community planning, with projects that include Indigenous gathering spaces, cultural centres, schools, parks, and community housing.
Notable examples include the Wampum Learning Lodge, Ktunaxa Community Housing, Niitsitapi Early Learning Centre, Red Crow Community College, and the Fort McMurray 468 First Nation Community Park and Pavilion. Tawaw also lists design and research services, a learning process, events, and educational offerings through EDTV and its Housing & Healing Partnership. Its project portfolio includes both new spaces and revitalization efforts, such as the Werklund Centre Transformation and David Crombie Park Revitalization
Company type
Self-Employed
Year founded
2010
Company size
2-10 employees
