An early idea for the project was to attempt to find an image that would summarize my intentions and bring focus to the research before starting. The image is inspired by the infinity symbol so important to Métis identity, as well as the two colours of the Métis flags representing Canada’s bilingual heritage.

Métis Flags (Images from: Wikipedia)

The infinity symbol of the Métis flag has been linked to both the resilience of the Métis people and the combining of the two colonial cultures of Canada (First Nations and European) in a mobius strip kind of way, but the project logo also introduces the notion of three-dimensional space. The gable roof clearly links to some of the traditional Métis buildings that will be addressed throughout the research, but the lines descending from the building disappear into space, the infinite vanishing point of single-point perspective that was so critical to Renaissance spatial representation and thinking. Credited to Brunelleschi, this can be seen as a critical development in Western spatial conceptualization and thus its inclusion in the logo suggests an infinitely complex architectural tradition intersecting with the First Nations cultures in Canada, the image forming an infinite longhouse. Thus, the image tries to speak to the complexity of the topic by transcending simple categorization or futile discussions about style, and instead hints at a unique way of thinking about spatial design and materials in Métis culture.

Single point perspective was critical to the way Renaissance architects and thinkers conceptualized space (Source)