Post by account_disabled on Mar 16, 2024 9:15:57 GMT
The student stage is, for many people, one of the best stages of our lives. Youth is combined with the desire to interact with people, the energy to discover new things and the few (or no) obligations of adulthood. If all of this happens in a student residence, the experience will remain in your memory forever. Today we present to you the Wii Gyemsiga Siwilaawksat residence hall, located in Terrace (British Columbia), on the west coast of Canada . The project is prepared by the Canadian architecture studio HCMA and special care was taken in indigenous design principles. In fact, the name itself is already a declaration of intentions. Wii Gyemsiga Siwilaawksat translates as “where students are happy and comfortable . ” An expression from Sm'algyax, a dialect of Tsimshian (the language spoken by the homonymous tribe in British Columbia). An arrangement around a central atrium The main hall building includes the main lobby, additional living quarters and suites for visiting family members, as well as a cultural room.
The layout extends around a central atrium. From this space, 36 different prefabricated modules are distributed . A design that took into account the large number of indigenous students. In the words of HCMA study director Karen Marler, the vision of the school “was to provide safe and culturally supportive accommodation for students from the six different nations - Haida, Haisla, Nisga'a, Wet'suwet'en, Gitxan, Tsimshian- and Phone Lead the 21 distinct First Nations communities the college serves to increase student success.” Regarding the signage throughout the building, local languages were also taken into account. Also for those terms without translation into sm'algyax. It was the indigenous people themselves who determined the translations that were most culturally appropriate. Indigenous culture in the design of facilities For the design of the facilities, the study was based on calls for decolonial action and respect for the cultural practices of indigenous peoples . The studio itself describes decolonial architecture as “the process of deconstructing colonial structures and reconstructing them to include both Western and indigenous worldviews.
This process of developing decolonial architecture was based on commitment and collaboration with the indigenous communities that the school serves. Among the gestures are more equitable and sustainable construction, related to indigenous construction practices and traditions. In addition, more than 70 artists were commissioned to create works of art , which included carvings and murals, and which were distributed throughout the school. Each floor has a theme representing the various First Nations cultures, expressed through the artwork and carved cedar panels . Cedar as a cultural symbol The cedar is the symbol of the northwest coast, it has been an integral part of indigenous culture for thousands of years. For that reason, the school honors the cedar and its vital role in the forests. Its wood is present in the exterior cladding and in the interior finishes of the building. However, it has not been used for structural elements, due to the increasing shortage of ancient cedar. For this reason it was used in smaller elements (such as coatings and finishes), which do not require the use of old wood . Cedar is especially relevant in the cladding of the central hall.
The layout extends around a central atrium. From this space, 36 different prefabricated modules are distributed . A design that took into account the large number of indigenous students. In the words of HCMA study director Karen Marler, the vision of the school “was to provide safe and culturally supportive accommodation for students from the six different nations - Haida, Haisla, Nisga'a, Wet'suwet'en, Gitxan, Tsimshian- and Phone Lead the 21 distinct First Nations communities the college serves to increase student success.” Regarding the signage throughout the building, local languages were also taken into account. Also for those terms without translation into sm'algyax. It was the indigenous people themselves who determined the translations that were most culturally appropriate. Indigenous culture in the design of facilities For the design of the facilities, the study was based on calls for decolonial action and respect for the cultural practices of indigenous peoples . The studio itself describes decolonial architecture as “the process of deconstructing colonial structures and reconstructing them to include both Western and indigenous worldviews.
This process of developing decolonial architecture was based on commitment and collaboration with the indigenous communities that the school serves. Among the gestures are more equitable and sustainable construction, related to indigenous construction practices and traditions. In addition, more than 70 artists were commissioned to create works of art , which included carvings and murals, and which were distributed throughout the school. Each floor has a theme representing the various First Nations cultures, expressed through the artwork and carved cedar panels . Cedar as a cultural symbol The cedar is the symbol of the northwest coast, it has been an integral part of indigenous culture for thousands of years. For that reason, the school honors the cedar and its vital role in the forests. Its wood is present in the exterior cladding and in the interior finishes of the building. However, it has not been used for structural elements, due to the increasing shortage of ancient cedar. For this reason it was used in smaller elements (such as coatings and finishes), which do not require the use of old wood . Cedar is especially relevant in the cladding of the central hall.