Wanda Dalla Costa

She is a member of Saddle Lake Cree Nation and the first First Nations woman architect in Canada. She is founding principal and owner of the firm, Tawaw Architecture Collective, which is based in Calgary, Alberta and Phoenix, Arizona. She was one of eighteen indigenous architects representing Canada in the Venice Architecture Biennale 2018.

• Name — Wanda Dalla Costa • Education — Southern California Institute of Architecture, University of Calgary, and University of Alberta • Honorific Suffix — AIA, OAA, AAA, LEED A.P. • Practice — Tawaw Architecture Collective

Wanda Dalla Costa's mother is one of six children and is from Saddle Lake First Nation, Alberta. All but one of the children went to residential school. Her grandfather is from Goodfish Lake, Alberta and her grandmother is from Saddle Lake, Alberta. In 1990, she began a formative backpacking journey through Australia and New Zealand. Although the trip was intended to be a gap year abroad, her travels continued for seven years and included thirty-seven countries. Dallas Costa earned her master's degree in Design Research in the department of City Design, Planning and Policy from Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and another master's degree in architecture from the University of Calgary. She has a Bachelor's of Arts in Sociology and Native Studies from University of Alberta.

Dalla Costa founded Tawaw Architecture Collective., in 2010 in order to exclusively work with First Nation and Tribal communities to examine ways of re-instilling the built environment with meaning aligned to Indigenous worldviews. Projects include the Manitou Asinîy-Iniskim-Tsa Xani Centre, https: www.tawarc.com/all-projects/arts-commons-transformation (formerly Arts Commons Transformation), https: www.tawarc.com/all-projects/lambton-college-indigenous-gathering-space https: www.tawarc.com/all-projects/the-wampum-learning-lodge, https: www.tawarc.com/all-projects/lambton-college-indigenous-gathering-space Lambton College Indigenous Gathering Space — Tawaw Architecture Collective https: www.tawarc.com/all-projects/david-crombie-park-revitalization David Crombie Park Revitalization — Tawaw Architecture Collective, Port Lands Flood Protection (PLFP) project in Toronto, Niitsitapi Learning Centre in Calgary, Red Crow Community College in Cardston. She is a registered architect in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Ontario, Arizona and California. She also teaches at Arizona State University (ASU) as both an Institute Professor and associate professor. Dalla Costa's teaching includes interdisciplinary service learning studios. She is also the founder and former Director of the Indigenous Design Collaborative at ASU which carries out design and design-build projects with tribes in North America. The collaborative makes connections between tribal community members, multidisciplinary ASU students, faculty, and industry. She is on the board of the Construction in Indian Country Advisory Council, chair of the Subcommittee on Indigenous Architecture Education, Indigenous Task Force, member of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada (RAIC) Indigenous Task Force, and member of the American Indian Council of Architects and Engineers (AICAE). Dalla Costa is the first First Nation woman to become an architect in Canada. In 2017, she was one of six women Architects to participate in the Venice Bienniale Exhibit for Canada titled, Unceded.

• Name — City — US State/ Country — Completed — Other Information — Image • Hayden Library Welcome Wall and Labriola Table — Tempe — Arizona — 2019-2020 — Designed and Built for Indigenous People's Space (IPS) • Niitsitapi Early Learning Center — Calgary — Canada — 2017 — Designed and Built for Alberta Infrastructure & Calgary Board Of Education • Moodie Residence — Priddis — Canada — 2011 — Designed and Built for Belva And Gary Moodie • Maurice Law Office — Saskatoon — Canada — 2011 — Designed and Built for Maurice Law