The Well-Rounded Nest
How can we begin to create TEK-informed design?
Site Research
When you begin a project, start by learning the Indigenous history of the area. Ask yourself: Who are the Native peoples of this land? Reach out to Indigenous communities or organizations in your region.
Resources:
-native-land.ca
A starting point for learning whose land you’re on. Follow up with local Indigenous communities for accurate, place-specific knowledge.
-Indigenous Geotags
Highlights original place-names and Indigenous stewardship. Use it to understand the deeper histories behind public lands.
-Library of Congress – Indian Land Cessions Maps
Historical treaty maps showing how land was taken over time. Helpful for situating contemporary places within their colonial past.
-Indigenous Field Guide
Practical guidance on engaging with land respectfully. Good for understanding cultural resource protection and Indigenous stewardship practices.
Too often we design without understanding the depth of the place we’re working in, doing this allows us to deepen our connection to place. From there, trace the land’s story through colonization and into the present day.
Ecological Context
Familiarize yourself with the ecosystem. Use this website https://ecoregions.world/ It lists plant community type, geology and soil, climate, keystone/flagship species, indigenous land management, watersheds, biodiversity hotspots and conservation status.
By looking at ecological components we begin to understand how a place actually functions. These elements show what the land can support, what needs care, and how everything is connected, helping planners design cities that respond to the realities of the ecosystem.
For water, https://mywaterway.epa.gov/ shows local water quality across physical, chemical, and biological indicators. Research what species live in the water, what’s in it, and why it isn’t being used, as well as identify naturally derived biomaterials present.
By working with naturally derived biomaterials, we begin to see how a place can sustainably support a community rather than outsourcing from distant places, reducing the energy and climate impact tied to imported resources. By producing locally, we get food, clothing, flood-prevention materials, carbon sequestration, water cleansing, textiles, even silk and as we support the ecosystem, it supports us in return. These biomaterials also contribute to local economics, “Find out what an ecosystem or a system depends on at its foundation and build that up so that there is a trickled up economy where that base is nourished so that all else can have a strong foundation.” — Lyla June Johnston
For further soil and geology information use https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/, it tells you the soil type, texture, drainage class, and depth to water table. Treat it as a general overview of how the land functions.
For on-site accuracy, take a handful of soil:
-Sticky = clay (holds water)
-Grainy = sand (drains fast)
-Smooth = silt (balanced)
Add a little water and shape it. The feel gives you the closest sense of what the ground is made of.
Ask yourself: Is there an issue or imbalance on this site that you want to address?
Using your site research and ecological context, create a drawing that reflects the site’s physical conditions, its environmental character, and what you see as the spirit of the place.
Built Environment Analysis
Understand the human-made systems that shape how a place functions. This layer helps you understand the human patterns that shape daily life how movement, access, regulation, and development have formed the place you see today.
This is your standard analysis of land use, urban form, cultural history, community life, infrastructure, ownership, housing, and demographics.
Ask yourself: What does this built environment reveal about how the community functions today, and what might need to shift for the place to thrive socially, culturally, and biologically in connection with the land?
Identify the core pattern, this will be the focus for regeneration. Create a conceptual plan, then start the design development plan.
The idea is not to dismiss modern-day technologies but to weave traditional knowledge into modern-day systems. Through this lens, designing our cities begins with understanding the environment. It allows us to address emerging issues before they escalate and recognize the root problems at hand. Rather than degrading the environment and leaving the consequences for future generations, this can be the passage to living in thriving, balanced, and regenerative environments.
I also want to acknowledge that this is not a complete guidebook, but it can provide a meaningful starting point.