Project Type
Product Design
Category
Architectural System
Collaborators
DESIGN OPPORTUNITY
Many northern Yukon Communities, like the village of Mayo, currently do not have an outdoor gathering space that the surrounding communities can utilize.
Creating an outdoor educational area provides not only a place for students to gather but a space for the locals to share knowledge and skills. The education curriculum is heavily skills-based and incorporates many First Nation Educational practices of the Yukon First Nations Peoples. It is crucial that this outdoor space be suited for the needs of the students and educators as well as the cultural needs of the local surrounding communities.
Lauryn Gabriele
J.V. CLARK SCHOOL
NACHO NU'UK DUN FIRST NATIONS
NARRATIVES
Storytelling
Communities can come together to use this space for Elders to pass down stories to the next generation, maintaining their identity and connection to the past.
Gardening
Traditional gardening is gathered from what the land and forest provides. With many northern schools introducing seed starting programs to promote nutritional health, having raised garden beds provides a more accessible way for the communities to educate and gather their harvest that might not be available deep in the wilderness.
Animal Processing
Many different animals are processed for skin tanning as well as meat utilized for food. This outdoor space can provide a place for education about these practices.
Traditional Medicine
Traditional medicine-making often consists of gathering materials and giving back to the land. Processing some of the gathered materials can require the medicine to be boiled down over high heat, which can result in smoke and strong odours, best done in an open outdoor space.
DESIGN REPORT
Covered Seating
The sheltered area of the storytelling space protects from both rain, snow as well as the harsh summer sun.
Outdoor Firepits
Two large firepits, both large enough to cook on and one in the covered area for any time of year.
Raised Gardens
Although traditional gardening is done by harvesting from the forest, raised garden beds provide a more accessible way to grow food in the harsh climate of northern Canada.
Community Gathering
This space not only provides outdoor educational spaces for the schools, but also promotes a space the entire community can gather.