William Woodworth
Biography
William (Bill) Woodworth is a member of the Lower Mohawk Kanien'kehá:ka Nation of Six Nations of the Grand River in the Bear Clan. Adopted into the Deer Clan of the Cayuga Nation he was named Raweno;kwas "he dips the words" in the Haudenausaunee tradition.
Educated in architecture at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, he has an independent architectural practice and is an educator. His principle teacher there was the well known Latvian architect Gunnar Birkerts.
William completed his doctoral work in Traditional Knowledge, Recovery of the Indigenous Mind, at the California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco. He studied under Dr. Apela Colorado and Jurgen Kremer.
From 1995-1996 William had the privilege to be an apprentice and assistant to the great Condoled Cayuga Chief Jacob Ezra Thomas Deyohonwedah at Six Nations of the Grand River Territory where he was given a rigorous teaching in all the Haudenausaunee practices and culture, and travelled extensively.
Among his experiences are many architectural projects, and several exhibitions associated with his architectural and teaching interests. As well he carried out numerous projects for native communities and organizations. He is a past member of the Ontario Association of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and had an independent architectural practice from 1979-1995.
He is the Founder and Director of the Beacon to the Ancestors Foundation which promotes native culture in the urban environment of Toronto.
William is currently on the Adjunct faculty at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, where he has taught the ground breaking course Twelve Architectures, Architectures and Native Culture in the Grand River Watershed for years.
William has been appointed as native Elder for the School of Architecture and the Faculty of Engineering. Bill advises and counsels students and staff from native grounding. In this role he also lectures.
Educated in architecture at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, he has an independent architectural practice and is an educator. His principle teacher there was the well known Latvian architect Gunnar Birkerts.
William completed his doctoral work in Traditional Knowledge, Recovery of the Indigenous Mind, at the California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco. He studied under Dr. Apela Colorado and Jurgen Kremer.
From 1995-1996 William had the privilege to be an apprentice and assistant to the great Condoled Cayuga Chief Jacob Ezra Thomas Deyohonwedah at Six Nations of the Grand River Territory where he was given a rigorous teaching in all the Haudenausaunee practices and culture, and travelled extensively.
Among his experiences are many architectural projects, and several exhibitions associated with his architectural and teaching interests. As well he carried out numerous projects for native communities and organizations. He is a past member of the Ontario Association of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and had an independent architectural practice from 1979-1995.
He is the Founder and Director of the Beacon to the Ancestors Foundation which promotes native culture in the urban environment of Toronto.
William is currently on the Adjunct faculty at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, where he has taught the ground breaking course Twelve Architectures, Architectures and Native Culture in the Grand River Watershed for years.
William has been appointed as native Elder for the School of Architecture and the Faculty of Engineering. Bill advises and counsels students and staff from native grounding. In this role he also lectures.
Teaching*
- ARCH 285 - Architectural Research
- Taught in 2022
- GENE 499 - Special Topics in Fourth-Year Engineering
- Taught in 2022, 2023
* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.
Graduate studies
- Not currently accepting applications for graduate students