To stay within the planetary boundaries, we have to take responsibility, andthis includes designers. This requires new perspectives on design. In this work, wefocus on a co-design project with indigenous communities. Within such communities,indigenous knowledge is central. Indigenous knowledge acknowledges that the worldis alive and that we, as humans, are merely a small part. Central in our approach isSheehan’s respectful design, which ensures a central place for indigenous knowledgein the design process. However, Sheehan’s approach does not state in pragmaticterms how such a design approach can be achieved. Some of the co-design processeswe engaged in led to respectful design spaces, others did not. This helped us toidentify patterns of dynamics that are essential for respectful design. At the core ofour findings lies the observation that in order to reach a respectful design space, inwhich indigenous knowledge is embedded, a shared dialogical space betweencommunity and designer is essential.