Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1433288
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 | 47 Student Housing – Coast Mountain College P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y COA S T M O U N TA I N CO L L EG E STUDENT HOUSING – COAST MOUNTAIN COLLEGE by LAURIE JONES F or the students who are fortu- nate to live in the three storey, 108-bed student housing com- plex at Coast Mountain College (CMTN), having a state-of-the-art facility that embraces First Nations culture is a unique opportunity. The new facility, named Wii Gyemsiga Siwilaawksat, which trans- lates to "where learners are content or comfortable," replaces the previous 52-year-old student dorms. In addition to the student bedrooms, the build- ing includes two suites for visitors, an Elders suite, six shared kitchens, four collaboration areas, a computer lab, a maker space, an e-sports room, and bike storage. The centrepiece of the project is a wood-constructed atrium that meets requirements of the pro- vincial BC Wood First legislation, noted Coast Mountain College project manager Bruce Denis. "In our initial collaboration with the First Nations, they were clear that while our first designs of the hous- ing facility were beautiful, it was not a First Nations cultural building," Denis explains. "The requirement for student housing at CMTN is that the building is easily identifiable as First Nations from the exterior and the interior. We also had to consider that the use of glulam for a natural ele- ment in modern architecture does not reflect First Nations cultural buildings like plank houses or longhouses. In the end our architect, Aiden Callison and his team, did an amazing job of finding that balance." The central atrium is a stunning design that features eight six-foot carved poles that reflect stories from the six Nations the College serves, and the skylight at the top of the room simulates the ventilation opening for smoke in a traditional longhouse. "The design/build project incorpo- rated significant traditional First Nations elements as well as modern construction achieving energy stan- dards close to passive house building targets," says Callison, associate at hcma Architecture + Design. "BC Energy Step Code 4 was adhered to with regard to envelope and thermal insulation exceeding current energy standards. The design is built to achieve LEED gold standards, but it's not targeting certification." He adds a significant aspect of the Wii Gyemsiga Siwilaawksat building is the Elders accommodation to provide students access to traditional support systems. "The two wings off the atrium area are for the student dorms, and each wing has one tenant kitchen per level for cooking, with a common eating area," says Karen Marler, principal at hcma. A red and black colour scheme runs through the entire building, with red used as a wayfinding tool. Denis explains the building has a circular tone with a pinwheel design in the floorplan, and the three-storey atrium reflects a cedar tree. "Around the exterior of this design are services and furniture where students can eat, collaborate, and hang out. Cedar lined interiors represent the bark of the tree. In the centre of the floor, Talking Circle-style furniture is placed to be the heartwood, or the colon. With Aiden's narrative of the design, the skylight is the canopy of the tree, so you can look up and see the sky." One of the key wow-factors for Denis is the artwork in the building. LOCATION 5331 McConnell Ave, Terrace, B.C. OWNER /DEVELOPER Coast Mountain College ARCHITECT hcma Architecture + Design Inc. DESIGN BUILD CONTR ACTOR IDL Projects Inc. MODUL AR CONTR ACTOR MODUS Structures Inc. STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Scouten Engineering MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Interior Mechanical Consultants ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT NRS Engineering Ltd. L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT LSLA TOTAL SIZE 37,749 square feet TOTAL COST $17.8 million