This is a joint project for five First Nations in the interior plateau of British Columbia. Their intent is to celebrate and exhibit their history and cultural traditions for the general public – and for their own peoples – within an accessible, local facility. The design proposes a responsible model for a First Nations cultural centre – a modest and achievable concept to return the story of a First Nations’ history to its local community, and foster a more visible and engaging relationship between local First Nations and broader Canadian society.

The land is of particular cultural and practical relevance to the Northern Secwepemc people. Their tradition of migratory habitation, pit house dwellings, and close contact with their territory, suggested the need for a land-driven design response. Commensurately, the land available for the project was challenging; Located on an irregular parcel at the side of the Cariboo Highway, the site is constrained by a floodplain and utility right-of-way which limit the building to an obscured position at the rear.

With a modest budget, the design solution embraces these difficulties and objectives with an integrated response: the creation of a cultural landscape that encompasses both site and building, amplifying the program’s area and visibility in a culturally appropriate and cost-effective manner. A series of site interventions are intended along a pathway that transitions from open meadow to a semi-submerged building in the forest; The building, set into the side of a forested slope, blends with the land and defers to the cultural program within.

Lacking the display area and resources of a larger museum, the cultural centre emphasizes flexible spaces and display systems – to host a changing series of exhibits and events and to provide important teaching, meeting and reception space for the local community.

Related work: Featured First Nations recreational