Recevied fellowship: University of Oregon (PhD), 2017
SRA2017-1
FR: University of Oregon (USA)
TO: Ministry of Culture, Social Sercices and Outer Islands Affairs (Republic of the Marshall Islands)
Current Affiliation: University of Auckland
James Miller is a Kanaka 'Ōiwi scholar, architect, and urbanist, James runs a design lab, ’Ike Honua, centering Indigenous knowledge in building resilient communities through architectural and planning frameworks. He works closely with Metaamo Studio, a collaborative design firm, and recently completed the design of the Eagle Haven Village (a 24 unit permanent supportive housing development) for Lummi Nation in Washington State, which is currently under construction.
Under the lens of climate change adaptation, Miller’s research investigates the role of Indigenous Design Knowledge in the creation of culturally supportive environments. James is currently investigating the application of Indigenous, place-based models for building community resilience in response to the housing crises and rising socio-environmental issues in Hawai'i. He previously worked with Marshallese communities in the Marshall Islands to address climate change adaptation and with Marshallese communities in the United States developing placemaking strategies. Miller’s scholarship provides a space for Indigenous knowledge systems tied to the production of the built environment to be recognized within fields dominated by western-centric world views.
James holds a PhD in Sustainable Architecture from the University of Oregon with specializations in cultural sustainability and Indigenous design knowledge, a M.Arch. from the University of Oregon with a specialization in post-disaster resettlement, and an accredited B.Arch. from the University of Notre Dame with a certificate in social-entrepreneurship.
Academic Achievements, Social Engagement Initiatives
Pacific Regional Strategy, Maori and Pacific Housing Research Centre
Salish Sea Fellow, Western Washington University, 2024-2025
PhD in Architecture, University of Oregon 2018
ARCC King Medal, 2017
Brief Summary of Support Program Activities
The research investigated how socio-spatial patterns in the Marshall Islands support cultural resilience amid climate-forced displacement. Building on Christopher Alexander’s Pattern Language and the social logic of space, it analyzes enduring spatial forms—such as the weto —that have sustained Marshallese identity through colonization, globalization, and climate change. Fieldwork, mapping, and interviews reveal deep-cultural design patterns adaptable to resettlement planning. The study develops a culturally grounded framework for resilient, adaptive housing design, demonstrating that the persistence of spatial patterns enhances sustainability and cultural continuity, offering transferable methods for other communities facing displacement and environmental transformation.
www.linkedin.com/in/james-miller-481a4916
