ASU launches new master's program focused on Indigenous design principles

The Indigenous placekeeping and design program teaches students to incorporate traditional knowledge into modern architecture and urban planning.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Arizona State University has launched a new master's degree program in The Design School that focuses on using traditional knowledge from Indigenous cultures around the world as a foundation for design. The program, led by the first Native American woman to become a licensed architect in the U.S., aims to challenge conventional design practices and incorporate Indigenous methodologies, worldviews and systems into architecture, urban planning and other design disciplines.

Why it matters

This program represents a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable design practices that acknowledge the deep connections between Indigenous communities and the land. By centering Indigenous principles, the program seeks to create built environments that are more in harmony with nature and better serve the needs of diverse populations.

The details

The Indigenous placekeeping and design master's degree program debuted last fall and has already attracted over 70 students. Students in the program work on design projects that apply Indigenous knowledge, such as a proposal to transform Tempe Town Lake by removing concrete and incorporating native plants and natural features. The program was founded by Wanda Dalla Costa, the first First Nations woman to become a licensed architect in Canada, and is directed by Tammy Eagle Bull, the first Native American woman to become a licensed architect in the U.S.

  • The Indigenous placekeeping and design master's degree program at ASU debuted in the fall of 2025.
  • Students in the program recently presented their projects incorporating Indigenous design principles.

The players

Noor Alzuhairi

A student in the first cohort of the Indigenous placekeeping and design master's degree program at ASU who created a visualization of Tempe Town Lake incorporating native plants and natural features.

Tammy Eagle Bull

A professor of practice in The Design School at ASU and the first Native American woman to become a licensed architect in the U.S. She is the director of the Indigenous placekeeping and design master's degree program.

Wanda Dalla Costa

An Institute Professor of architecture at ASU and the first First Nations woman to become a licensed architect in Canada. She founded the Indigenous placekeeping and design master's degree program.

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What they’re saying

“It's about using the traditional knowledge that we have of ecological systems, and of existing on this land, which wasn't considered scientific in the past because it wasn't written down.”

— Tammy Eagle Bull, Director of the Indigenous placekeeping and design master's degree program (asu.edu)

“I shared with the students that we got left out of the history books once because we had an oral culture. We want to make sure we get in there this time and that our words are embedded within this brain of AI because we know it's not going to go away. So we had better start course-correcting it.”

— Wanda Dalla Costa, Founder of the Indigenous placekeeping and design master's degree program (asu.edu)

What’s next

The Indigenous placekeeping and design master's degree program at ASU will continue to grow and evolve, with plans to incorporate more Indigenous perspectives and knowledge into the curriculum.

The takeaway

This new program at ASU represents a significant step towards more inclusive and sustainable design practices that acknowledge the deep connections between Indigenous communities and the land. By centering Indigenous principles, the program aims to create built environments that are more in harmony with nature and better serve the needs of diverse populations.