Lax Kw’alaams Family + Elders Housing
Location Prince Rupert, BC
Status Design Complete
Client BC Housing
Budget $22,000,000
Size 5,665 sq m
Inspired by the rich culture and traditions of the Lax Kw'alaams Band, the design seeks to create a welcoming presence with a strong sense of place. Taking a cue from its forest surroundings, the building exterior is clad in low-maintenance cementitious panels in shades of soft grey, laid vertically to create a striated texture that evokes the bark of a tree. Upon approach to the building, residents and visitors are drawn in by the warmth of the naturally finished cedar siding that lines the walls and soffit of the shared public corridors. Conceptually, these areas are akin to the core of the cedar tree when cut.
Cultural references are planned to be integrated into the woven pattern of the guardrails, the large-scale murals at the entry and the ends of the building, and the floor and suite entry numbering. The proposed totems at the entry to the site access drive are another opportunity to introduce a cultural marker. The totems and the murals create an opportunity to engage artisans within the Lax Kw’alaams community.
The site organization conveys a gradient of public to private space, which helps create a sense of ownership and security amongst the residents. The outermost edge of the site is the highly public environment of 11th Avenue, which transitions to semi-public circulation corridors and finally leads to the private interiors of the housing suites with a close connection to the tranquil cedar forest park beyond. The site organization is akin to the rings of a tree, with its loose, exposed outer layers and compact, private inner ones.
Equity is the strongest value represented in the design. This principle guides the organization of the units for equitable views and light. Equity also informs the planning of construction, which is kept as efficient as possible to balance the cost of labor and building systems with a high quality of finishes and resident experience.
Team
In collaboration with Michael Green Architecture.
