What Smoke Architecture does

Smoke Architecture Inc. (SAI) is an Anishinaabeg-owned and operated architectural firm founded in 2014 by Eladia Smoke and headquartered at 96 Barons Avenue South, Hamilton, Ontario. The firm provides complete architectural services — conceptual design, feasibility studies, land-use plans, assessment reports, community engagement, RFP and tender support, and construction supervision — to First Nation and Indigenous clients across Canada, with active projects spanning Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Nunavut. Its portfolio is organized into seven typologies: cultural, education, wellness/healing/transitional, housing, recreation and civic, and industrial projects.

Name

Smoke Architecture

Legal name

Smoke Architecture Inc.

Website

https://smokearchitecture.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Anishinaabeg-owned architectural firm (founded 2014, Hamilton, Ontario) providing full-service design — from feasibility through construction supervision — exclusively to First Nation, Indigenous, and institutional clients across Canada, integrating traditional knowledge systems with mass timber and net-zero building practices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Indigenous architecture services
• First Nation building design
• Cultural facility architecture
• Mass timber institutional design
• Community engagement planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Smoke Architecture provides complete architectural services including conceptual design, feasibility studies, land-use plans, assessment reports, community engagement, RFP & tender support, and construction supervision to First Nation, Indigenous, and institutional clients. Revenue is generated through professional service fees on commissioned projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Smoke Architecture provides complete architectural services for First Nation and Indigenous clients, including conceptual design, feasibility studies, land-use plans, assessment reports, community engagement, RFP and tender support, and construction supervision. The firm is Anishinaabeg owned and operated, integrating traditional Indigenous knowledge systems (Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Innu) with contemporary sustainable building practices such as mass timber construction, net-zero energy design, and passive house principles. Projects span cultural, educational, wellness/healing, housing, recreation/civic, and industrial typologies across Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Nunavut.

Product overview

Smoke Architecture is an Anishinaabeg owned and operated architectural firm providing complete architectural services since 2014, focused exclusively on First Nation and Indigenous projects. The firm offers a comprehensive suite of services including conceptual design, feasibility studies, land-use plans, assessment reports, community engagement, RFP and tender support, and construction supervision. The company organizes its portfolio across seven distinct project categories: Cultural Projects (libraries, museums, performance venues), Education Projects (schools, colleges, Indigenous gathering spaces), Wellness/Healing/Transitional Projects (healthcare facilities, healing lodges, shelters), Housing Projects (multi-unit residential, affordable housing, elder residences), Recreation and Civic Projects (community centers, arenas, justice facilities), and Industrial Projects (manufacturing, police services). Their design process is guided by Indigenous knowledge and community engagement, working with Elders and community leaders to create culturally appropriate spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Complete architectural services including conceptual design, feasibility studies, land-use plans, assessment reports, community engagement, RFP and tender support, and construction supervision for Indigenous and First Nations community projects.
• Cultural Projects Cultural architecture projects including libraries, museums, art centers, and performance venues with Indigenous design principles. Notable projects include Dawes Road Library, St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, and Curve Lake Museum and Repository.
• Education Projects Educational facility design including schools, colleges, universities, and Indigenous gathering spaces. Notable projects include Centennial College A-Block, Makwa Waakaa'igan Indigenous Centre of Cultural Excellence, and Queen's University Indigenous Gathering Space.
• Wellness, Healing and Transitional Projects Healthcare and healing facility architecture including wellness centers, medical clinics, healing lodges, shelters, and transitional housing. Projects serve Indigenous communities with culturally appropriate design.
• Housing Projects Residential architecture including multi-unit housing, affordable housing, elder residences, and youth centers for Indigenous communities. Projects include Sagonaska Place, Nih-Dawin'naa, and Henvey 8-Plex.
• Recreation and Civic Projects Community recreation facilities, justice buildings, arenas, and civic spaces for Indigenous communities. Includes projects such as community centers, arenas, justice facilities, and conservation indigenous gathering spaces.
• Industrial Projects Industrial and administrative facilities including manufacturing plants and police services buildings. Notable projects include Anishnawbe G'Zhiitoonegamic panel factory and Curve Lake First Nation Anishinabek Police Services Building.

Quantifiable outcome

• Won Canadian Architect Award of Merit 2023 for Dawes Road Library
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Kilmer Group and Tricon ResidentialcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Smoke Architecture joined the architectural team alongside Studio Gang and architects-Alliance for the 610 Bay St. and 130 Elizabeth St redevelopment led by Kilmer Group and Tricon Residential.
• DIALOGflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Design partnership on the Centennial College A-Block Expansion ($120M, 130,000 sq.ft.), Canada's first LEED Gold zero-carbon mass timber higher education building. SAI led Indigenous design integration while DIALOG served as prime architect with EllisDon Construction.
• Hariri Pontarini ArchitectsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Key design team partner for the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts competition win. Smoke Architecture contributed Indigenous design elements including Wampum belt-inspired facade concept, collaborating with Hariri Pontarini, LMN, Tawaw Architecture Collective, and SLA.
• Perkins & WillflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative design partnership with global architecture firm Perkins & Will on major institutional projects including the Dawes Road Library ($25M) and Oakville Public Library Central Branch. Smoke Architecture provides Indigenous design expertise while Perkins & Will provides broader architectural delivery capacity.
• Moriyama Teshima ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing design partnership on Indigenous institutional projects including Makwa Waakaa'igan Indigenous Centre of Cultural Excellence at Algoma University ($31M), and the Earth Turning Gathering project. Jointly won Canadian Architect Award of Excellence 2022.
• Brook McilroycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarissa Roque worked at Brook Mcilroy prior to joining Smoke Architecture, contributing to urban Indigenous gathering spaces and the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health renovation at University of Toronto.
• Tawaw Architecture CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous-led architecture collective partnered with Smoke Architecture as part of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts winning design team.
• Keesic StrategiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Keesic Strategies and Lac Seul First Nation Leadership on the Wellness Centre project needs assessment and technical feasibility study.
• Wanda Dalla Costa ArchitectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the design team for the Indigenous Peoples Space project in Ottawa alongside David Fortin Architect and Elder Winnie Pitawanakwat.
• David Fortin ArchitectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the design team for the Indigenous Peoples Space project in Ottawa alongside Wanda Dalla Costa Architect and Elder Winnie Pitawanakwat.
• Elder Winnie PitawanakwatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous knowledge keeper and Elder who served as design team member for the Indigenous Peoples Space project, ensuring cultural appropriateness and community engagement.
• Vertechs Design and Spruce LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architects and Indigenous-led design collaborators on the Queen's University Indigenous Gathering Space project.
• Trophic DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Smoke Architecture and the Credit Valley Trail Indigenous Roundtable on the Credit Valley Conservation Indigenous Gathering Space design.
• SSA StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partner with Smoke Architecture on the Thunder Woman Healing Lodge transitional facility for women in corrections.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wanda Dalla Costa Architect: Indigenous architect (Saddle Lake Cree Nation) who partnered with Smoke Architecture on the Indigenous Peoples Space project. Comparable as an Indigenous-led practice with community-based and cultural design focus.
• Brook McIlroy: Toronto-based architecture firm with one of Canada's leading Indigenous design practices. Smoke Architecture team members have previously worked at Brook McIlroy on Indigenous gathering spaces and the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute at the University of Toronto.
• Two Row Architect: Indigenous-owned Ontario architecture firm serving First Nations communities across cultural centres, housing, and community infrastructure. Comparable Indigenous-led specialist practice with similar mission and client base as Smoke Architecture.
• Tawaw Architecture Collective: Indigenous-led architecture collective based in Ontario that partnered with Smoke Architecture as part of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts winning design team. Directly comparable as an Indigenous-owned practice specializing in cultural and community architecture.
• David Fortin Architect: Indigenous-focused architect and academic who partnered with Smoke Architecture on the Indigenous Peoples Space project in Ottawa. Comparable as a practitioner with deep specialization in Indigenous design research and built work.

Broad incumbents

• DIALOG: Canadian interdisciplinary design firm that served as prime architect on Centennial College A-Block with Smoke Architecture providing Indigenous design integration. Comparable as a broader practice with significant institutional and Indigenous design work.
• Perkins & Will: Global architecture firm with a Toronto studio; strategic partner with Smoke Architecture on major library commissions including Dawes Road ($25M) and Oakville Central Branch. Comparable as a broader practice that integrates Indigenous design through specialist partnerships.
• Lemay: Large Canadian architecture firm with a dedicated Indigenous design practice and a national footprint. Comparable as a broader incumbent with Indigenous design capabilities across multiple Canadian regions.
• Hariri Pontarini Architects: Toronto-based architecture firm that partnered with Smoke Architecture on the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts competition win. Comparable as a leading Canadian institutional and cultural architecture practice.
• Moriyama Teshima Architects: Established Canadian architecture firm and ongoing Smoke Architecture partner on Algoma University's Makwa Waakaa'igan and the Earth Turning Gathering project. Comparable as a broader institutional architecture practice with an active Indigenous design portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Smoke-Architecture-Inc-61577022092865
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smoke-architecture

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smoke Architecture