UVic's First Peoples House Wins International Award

Sunday, October 24, 2010

An esteemed group of jurors recently recognized UVic’s First Peoples House as one of the best Western Red Cedar architectural designs in the world. “UVic is very proud to have been part of this project,” says Tom Smith, UVic’s executive director of facilities management. “The architect’s use of Western Red Cedar supports our goal of achieving LEED gold-level certification. The building also demonstrates effective use of the provincial wood-first policy that requires all new public facilities to include BC wood in their construction, wherever possible.”

The Western Red Cedar Architectural Design Awards, sponsored by the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, recognizes innovative design incorporating the distinctive west coast wood, one of the world’s most unique building materials. These awards are presented to six projects from around the world that demonstrate creative, innovative designs and use Western Red Cedar to boost their overall design. Architect Alfred Waugh designed the First Peoples House with input from First Nations leaders as well as Indigenous faculty, staff and students. The design, following the Coast Salish style, includes rammed earth walls, cedar plank exterior cladding, as well as Indigenous carvings and artwork. The First Peoples House was also designed and built to meet UVic’s high standards for energy efficiency and sustainability.

For more information about UVic’s First Peoples House visit web.uvic.ca/fphouse/