First Peoples Pavilion of Val-d’Or

The First Peoples Pavilion project in Val-d’Or involved expanding the UQAT’s facilities with the addition of new classrooms, offices and a large multi-purpose room. The pavilion also houses a large indoor garden along what was formerly the library’s exterior wall.

A number of meetings with advisory committees emphasized the importance of infusing the new building with Indigenous elements. While the teepee was the single most dominant symbol to be incorporated, other elements such as fireplaces, medicine wheels, natural materials, beading motifs, and the relationship with nature also found a home in the structure. The architect’s challenge was to convey that Indigenous symbolism through architectural elements while preserving an understated, contemporary style.