Under One Sky’s Longhouse and Cultural Centre will be the first net-zero-carbon community building in New Brunswick, one of the highest green building standards in North America. The building will feature several green building and clean-tech innovations, including a geothermal heat exchange system with over a dozen vertical wells drilled on-site along with an extensive rooftop photovoltaic array system. These innovations will allow us to provide 50% of our electricity needs and 90% of our heating/cooling needs from on-site renewable systems, resulting in a 40% reduction in carbon emissions relative to comparable buildings.

In the spirit of inclusion, a core principle of Under One Sky, the centre will welcome and be accessible to people from all backgrounds, identities, ability levels, and nations. The location of the facility in the urban core is central to where our staff and primary user groups live, work, and play. The site can be reached by the active transportation networks that are adjacent to the property, as well as by public transit along Union Street. Awitgati will be designed to Accessibility Certified Gold” (RHFAC v.3.0) from the Rick Hansen Foundation which exceeds Canadian accessible design standards.

The building is centered around an exterior courtyard with a ceremonial fire. The courtyard contains gathering spaces, public art works and a children’s play area. The courtyard transitions into more natural spaces including a medicine garden, private spaces for contemplation, and a natural stream. The site is located between a transit route and an active transportation network (cycling and walking trails) and is destined to become an iconic landmark and vibrant destination in the community.

Why a Longhouse?

There are 29,380 Indigenous people living in New Brunswick. Seventy-four percent of whom live outside of First Nation reserve communities, often in urban centres. Indigenous people can become disconnected from their traditional territories, communities and culture. Like all communities and cultures, Indigenous people seek opportunities to connect, to gather, to participate in our own cultural practices, to pass on our traditions and knowledge from one generation to another, and to share our rich traditions and values with our neighbours.

In Wolastoqey and Mi’kmaw culture, our communities traditionally gathered in our long-houses. At present, our urban Indigenous community has no place of our own to gather and embrace our culture and receive and share in the teachings and knowledge from our own people.

The longhouse is grounded in Wolastoqey and Mi’qmaq principles and values and offers a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Wolastoqey and Mi’kmaq longhouse designs and materials. The longhouse assumes the form of a turtle shell, representing Turtle Island. The programming of the building is divided up into a collection of pods that are assigned with the 7 Sacred Teachings. These pods are connected by an interior passageway that is reminiscent of a flowing river. The building is arranged symmetrically around a circular pavilion, inspired by the medicine wheel, that opens to the East and contains a sacred fire. The landscaping of the site will incorporate the elements of wind, water, earth, and fire as gardens surrounding each pod.

The Longhouse brings a boundary breaking approach to what a community centre can be. The programming takes a holistic view that reflects how Indigenous communities interact, encompassing all ages and stages of life. The centre will include sections and rooms for: early childhood education classes, childcare, a health clinic, birthing centre, counselling offices, business incubator spaces, activity room, conference room, community and commissary kitchen, dining room, cafe, adult education classrooms, arts and culture workshop, gallery and exhibit spaces, catering kitchen, and a ceremonial hall/performing arts room.

When complete, our new centre will provide a range of Indigenous-led, culturally informed services and programs to all Indigenous peoples, regardless of nationhood or status. This centre will be a public space for intercultural dialog, reconciliation, and learning for all.