Powwow Country: First Peoples House - Victoria, BC

First Peoples House
Victoria

First Peoples House is an academic and cultural centre for Indigenous students situated at the heart of the University of Victoria campus. The new facility is also a welcoming space for the community as a whole. The building’s design was inspired by consultations with Coast Salish Chiefs and Saanich Elders in the early stages, and created by Alfred Waugh Architect of Vancouver. Waugh is Chipweyan (Fond du lac Band) and employs three Aboriginal architects in his Vancouver firm. First Peoples House was officially opened in January 2010. The building design is Coast Salish, with influences from Straights and Interior Salish. Rammed earth walls, cedar plank exterior, and indigenous carvings and artwork are highlights. In 2011 First Peoples House earned a Project of Distinction Award from the Council of Educational Facility Planners International. Only eight projects were selected from the U.S., Canada and Australia. In 2010, the building received gold-level certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building program, and was recognized as one of the best Western Red Cedar architectural designs in the world. It also received the Judges Choice Award for overall excellence in 2010 from the Commercial Division of the Victoria Real Estate Board and the Times Colonist newspaper. The goal for First Peoples House is to support the academic, emotional, spiritual and physical needs of aboriginal students, faculty and staff. It serves as an inspiration to all Indigenous people to dream and to succeed in their education, sharing and learning.

For more information, check out: web.uvic.ca/fphouse.