Muscowpetung Arbour | Oxbow Architecture
The Muscowpetung Powwow Arbour is a place of celebration. It is a centre for the summer powwow gatherings, community events, and traditional knowledge sharing and teachings of the Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation on Treaty 4 territory in southern Saskatchewan, Canada.
The structure draws inspiration from Saulteaux material culture and the importance of the circle within the culture’s worldview. Designed and developed alongside Richard Kroeker and Muscowpetung member and knowledge-keeper Jeff Cappo, the structure reflects traditional ways of making and the ingenuity of building with available resources.
The result is an uplifting community building and a case study in how traditional knowledge can inform our work at Oxbow Architecture in Saskatchewan. Intensive listening, learning and iterative knowledge sharing has guided our approach to creating meaningful work that considers and harnesses local knowledge, labour and materials.
Brad Pickard is a designer and educator with Oxbow Architecture in Regina, Saskatchewan. His practice is dedicated to advance meaningful collaborative design processes that bridge disciplines and strengthen underserved communities at home and abroad.
His work and commitment to design education has carried him to communities throughout Canada, UK, EU, and Africa. Brad has held academic positions as a Sessional Instructor at Dalhousie University, IUAV University of Venice, University of The Gambia, and most recently at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Brad’s ongoing collaborations with artists and zdesigners have been exhibited nationally on a variety of platforms and continue to complement his work at Oxbow.
Brad is the principal architect on many of Oxbow's projects that work within a sensitive context - including the Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation Powwow Arbour with Richard Kroeker. Through intensive listening and cultural immersion, his approach to practice guides the design process to create responsive and technically sound solutions.
Project Deep Dive Series
The Faculty of Architecture presents Project Deep Dive, a talk series that explores the complexities of design practice beyond images. Each session features a 30–40 minute presentation followed by open discussion, highlighting the processes, challenges, and lessons behind significant projects. Students, faculty, and professionals are invited to learn from real cases that reveal how design unfolds through negotiations, logistics, and technical expertise, celebrating local excellence and professional rigour.