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 the Indigenous Traditional Ecological + Cultural Knowledge Center (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. Registration required for attendance.
Learn more about the conference here!
First held in 2000 by Design Corps, the SFI conferences have aimed to share the best ideas and practices that are reaching those currently underserved by architecture. 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) 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.
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.