Spatial Design
Future Building Program
Video by Sammy Vu
Imagine a city…
…designed combining AfroFuturism and Indigenous Futurism perspectives; where everything from the buildings, art, landscapes, plantings, pathways, benches, land usage, housing, food sustainability, infrastructure and areas of congregation were designed and developed to sustain the cultures, livelihoods and excellence of Indigenous and displaced Black communities…
BIDC’s Spatial Design Future Building Program (#SDFB) consolidates BIDC's 3 programs (MST Futurism, Public Art Intensive, and Design Cypher) into 1 super program with 3 streams.
Spatial Design Future Building Program seeks to address the gaps in spatial realm design, providing a holistic educational framework that centres decolonial processes for urban planning and city building rooted in Indigenous sovereignty and Black liberatory art and design principles. One of the main purposes of this program is to remove barriers to entry into these fields and empower students to be leaders in shaping and stewarding their communities.
Just like in real-world processes, which are now becoming standard practice in “so-called Vancouver,” students from each stream will be co-collaborating: MST Futurism students from each of the Host Nations will learn cultural protocol processes, community engagement, urban and environmental design policy recommendations and land development strategies to help inform the Design Cypher and Public Art project teams to actualize design projects around Skwácháy̓s (NEFC MudFlats). The goal is to engage in a collaborative process that centres Black and Indigenous intercultural exchanges and commitments to solidarity.
1 Super Program that combines them all…
Select a stream to apply to:
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MST FUTURISM
2025 Participation Dates:
June 2-7, 12, 28
Click into application to view Eligibility -
✺
PUBLIC ART INTENSIVE
2025 Participation Dates:
June 11-13, 16-19, 24-28Click into application to view Eligibility
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✺
DESIGN CYPHER
2025 Participation Dates:
June 11-13, 16-19, 24-28Click into application to view Eligibility
SDFB Program Leads
Applying their every day industry experience and cultural teachings into designing a comprehensive and collaborative curriculum that they will teach alongside various guest speakers.
Regardless of the stream you will be applying to, all participants will have the chance to work closely with each program lead.
Sierra Tasi Baker they/she/he
(MST Futurism)
Indigenous Urban Designer + Consultant
Krystal Paraboo
she/her
(Public Art Intensive)
Public Art Planner + Consultant + Curator
Divine Ndemeye
she/her
(Design Cypher)
Landscape Designer + Adjunct Professor
SDFB Program Sponsors
SDFB Program Sponsors
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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Yes, however you will only be accepted into 1 stream.
Be sure to check the eligibility criteria outlined for each stream.
If you do decide to apply for more than 1 stream, please specify in your application your order of preference.
Please note that you are not guaranteed admittance into your first choice.
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Not at all! The SDFB program’s curriculum is designed for all streams to collaborate throughout the entire month, specifically when it comes to conceptualizing and presenting projects. BIDC’s aim is to mimic real-world processes that happen every day in the spatial design field to bring projects to life.
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Each stream will accept up to 10 participants, with the exception of MST Futurism which will accept 9 (3 from each Host Nation).
There will be a total of 29 participants.
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Each program stream has its specific criteria:
MST Futurism:
+ Must be 18 and above
+ Identify as xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and/or səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)
+ Has a general interest or curiosity in spatial design (urban planning, urban design, environmental design, urban policy, community planning, public art planning, architecture, landscape architecture, community engagement etc.)
Public Art Intensive:
Must be 18 and above
Identify as full or mixed Black, African and/or Afro-Caribbean descent, AND/OR
Indigenous, Urban Indigenous, and Global Indigenous, AND
Is an academically trained Visual Artist with an emerging or semi-established arts practice AND/OR is a culturally trained Visual Artist with an emerging or semi established art practice AND/OR is a self-taught Visual Artist with an active arts practice that community members/peers can vouch for.
Design Cypher:
Must be 18 and above
Identify as full or mixed Black, African and/or Afro-Caribbean descent OR
Identify as Indigenous, Urban Indigenous, and Global Indigenous
Has a general interest or curiosity in spatial design (urban planning, urban design, environmental design, architecture, landscape architecture, community engagement etc.)
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For sure, however your application will not be prioritized.
As much as we love our BIDC alumni, we want to ensure we our providing opportunities to new faces in order to grow our community! -
Unfortunately, we are only accepting applicants who can commit to all of our dates. Although we prioritize accessibility, our curriculum is developed in a manner where non-attendance will impact other collaborators, and the integration of learnings into the final project.
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Yes! BIDC only offers educational programs that pay its participants, in order to model advocating for Black and Indigenous peoples diverging from the normalized unpaid labour, and demanding standard professional rates.
Participants will be paid a per hour rate slightly above the current living wage in Vancouver for their participation in each program:
MST Futurism: $1,750 (8 days)
Public Art Intensive: $2,600 (12 days)
Design Cypher: $2,600 (12 days) -
We will get back to all applicants by March 2025. Orientations will happen throughout April and May.