WOODLAND CULTURAL CENTRE GALLERY ADDITION

Woodland Cultural Centre is a vibrant place throughout the year, which hosts school groups, individuals, tourists, and the local community to come visit for educational purposes and events. The mission of the centre is to preserve, promote and strengthen Indigenous language, culture, art and history, specifically that of the Hodinohsho:ni people. In order to support and expand the centre's programming, a new building is proposed for the site. This building is planned to replace the existing centre, which houses the museum, collections, theatre, gift shop and offices. The former Mohawk Institute residential school that sits on the site will be converted into a museum.

The design for the new centre is guided by the acts of gathering and storytelling, and driven by a desire to reconnect land, culture and people. The central spine of the building serves as a flexible as well as functional space; facilitating circulation to the many programs that are run here, while also becoming a versatile space to display events, art and exhibitions accessible to all. It is intended to feel welcoming and inclusive to visitors, and juxtapose the colonial architecture of the old residential school. This is accomplished through its inviting form, materiality, and human scale. A main source of inspiration is the structure of the Hodinohsho:ni longhouse.

The green roof and microclimates created by the curves of the building create spaces not only for human gathering, but invite All Our Relations back to the site. Similarly, overhangs create patterns of shade in the summer and direct sunlight in the winter, encouraging a sense of connection to natural rhythms. Reconnecting to the land from interior spaces was also very important, and food and plant medicine growth can be accessed from the kitchen and cafeteria spaces. The central spine of the building serves as a flexible as well as functional space; facilitating circulation to the many programs that Woodland runs, while also becoming a versatile space to display art and exhibitions accessible to all, and to host a variety of events throughout the year.