Centering Place and Community to Address Climate Change and Social Justice

Awarded Project Overview

April 2022

About the Project:

The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe is facing an urgent challenge: their reservation, located on one of the most rapidly eroding coastlines in the U.S., is under threat from rising sea levels, tsunamis, and land subsidence. To protect their community, the Tribe is expanding to higher-elevation lands they’ve reclaimed from timber companies, as part of their ancestral territory. This upland expansion will provide space for housing, elder care, a health clinic, cultural centers, and even “edible trails” to support food sovereignty and cultural traditions.

This project brings together the Tribe and the University of Washington (UW) to ensure the expansion reflects their values, culture, and environment. By blending Indigenous knowledge with Western science, the team will design buildings, open spaces, and infrastructure that support health, protect ecosystems, and strengthen the community’s connection to the land.

Goals

Co-create a master plan for the Tribe’s upland expansion that aligns with their cultural and environmental values.
Develop climate-resilient, culturally meaningful designs for buildings, open spaces, and infrastructure.
Build a model for Indigenous-led, community-centered climate resilience that other communities can use.
Strengthen the Tribe’s connection to their land and traditions through storytelling and participatory design.
Empower Tribal youth and community members to take on leadership roles throughout the project.

Approach

The project will use a collaborative, hands-on approach to ensure the Tribe’s voice drives every decision. A Tribal Scientific and Policy Advisory Board will guide the process, while UW researchers and Tribal youth work side-by-side to gather input, develop designs, and test sustainable building prototypes. The team will combine Indigenous knowledge with scientific modeling to create solutions that are both culturally meaningful and environmentally resilient. Activities will include listening sessions, design workshops, and community storytelling to ensure the final plan reflects the Tribe’s vision.

Research Focus

The research will focus on blending cultural values and scientific insights to guide the design of the Tribe’s upland expansion. Researchers will explore how the Tribe’s deep connection to their land can shape everything from building layouts to open spaces. They’ll also test sustainable materials and designs that honor both the environment and the community’s traditions. By combining Indigenous knowledge with modern climate science, the team aims to create practical, community-driven solutions. Finally, the project will document the entire process to develop a blueprint that other communities can use to tackle similar challenges.

Why It Matters

Climate change is forcing communities worldwide to rethink where and how they live, but not everyone has the resources to adapt. For the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, this project is about more than survival—it’s about reclaiming their land, honoring their traditions, and building a future that reflects their values. By centering the Tribe’s voice and knowledge, this work challenges the injustices of colonization and creates a model for equitable, community-led climate resilience.

Activities

Form a Tribal Scientific and Policy Advisory Board to guide the project.
Conduct listening sessions, focus groups, and design workshops with Tribal members.
Engage Tribal youth as paid researchers and cultural consultants.
Develop sustainable building prototypes using locally sourced materials.
Create digital storymaps that combine Tribal stories, historical data, and future climate scenarios.
Host community workshops to co-design the upland expansion master plan.

Expected Outcomes

A master plan for the Tribe’s upland expansion that reflects their cultural and environmental values.
Culturally informed building designs and sustainable material recommendations.
A replicable model for Indigenous-led climate resilience planning.
Strengthened connections between the Tribe, their land, and their traditions.
Increased leadership and capacity within the Tribal community, particularly among youth.

Dissemination of Findings

A final report and digital storymaps accessible to the Tribe and other communities.
Scholarly articles and media pieces co-authored by Tribal, professional, and UW partners.
Community presentations and workshops to share lessons learned.
Sustainable building manuals and design guidelines for broader use.
Master’s theses and academic publications to expand on key findings.

Research Team:

Principal Investigator: Daniel Abramson, College of Built Environments, Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington
Community Lead: Jamie Judkins, Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe

University of Washington Partners:
Rob Corser, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture
Julie Kriegh, Research Scientist, Carbon Leadership Forum, Department of Architecture and Principal, Kriegh Architecture Studios ! Design and Research
Jackson Blalock, Community Engagement Specialist, Washington Sea Grant
Lynne Manzo, Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture
Kristiina Vogt, Professor, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences

Community Partners:
Daniel Glenn, AIA, NCARB, Principal, 7 Directions Architects/Planners
John David “J.D.” Tovey III, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Timothy Archer Lehman, Design and Planning Consultant and Lecturer