Embedded Files
A collaborative project with
Elizabeth Ann Lenny, Florence Ma, Kevin Kunnapilly, Elizabeth Yeoh
A collaborative cultural and residential design project for the Six Nations of the Grand River as an architectural response to the Haldimand Tract
The siting of our longhouse intends to bring attention to the cyclical relationships that unfold throughout its occupation, with reference to Iroquoian cosmology and the metaphor of the great circle from A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada. Our longhouse is placed on a ridge adjacent to the existing community gardens. It overlooks the forested canopy of the rare Charitable Reserve and the Grand River.
Our longhouse is oriented in the East-West axis following the path of the sun. This East-West journey is interrupted by a pause in the centre. Here, the building opens to the South, the North and the sky above.
To the South, the inhabitants are reminded of the growth and harvest cycle. A communal garden arranged by companion planting grows in abundance. The plants produce food, medicine and can additionally be used by the community for craft and dyeing. A compost pile for food scraps and waste lies adjacent to the garden.
To the North, is a protected resting place, a reminder of birth and death. The burial site is framed by an opening in the grove of nut trees. From the approach up the hill, this grove acts as a palisade, screening the longhouse from afar.
Up above is a hole in the sky to observe the movement of the sun, moon and stars - a reminder of our place in the cosmos.
Google Sites
Report abuse