Mooka'am Community Centre: Muskowekwan Residential School
The Muskowekwan Residential School outside of Regina SK was the last Canadian
Residential School to close in 1997; since then, the building has fallen into disarray yet still
stands as a monument to the horrors that went on there. As a result, the Western Ojibwe First
Nation - Muskowekwan - wishes to rehabilitate the former school into a center of memory,
healing and culture. By following the teachings of the medicine wheel, the Mooka’am
(translation: rising sun/ new beginning) design focuses on adding adaptable cultural andeconomic spaces to the community. The medicine wheel teaches us that the four directions all embody a different aspect of life’s journey, the design assigns each of the school’s
Residential School to close in 1997; since then, the building has fallen into disarray yet still
stands as a monument to the horrors that went on there. As a result, the Western Ojibwe First
Nation - Muskowekwan - wishes to rehabilitate the former school into a center of memory,
healing and culture. By following the teachings of the medicine wheel, the Mooka’am
(translation: rising sun/ new beginning) design focuses on adding adaptable cultural andeconomic spaces to the community. The medicine wheel teaches us that the four directions all embody a different aspect of life’s journey, the design assigns each of the school’s
Conservation Studio 2
Carleton University
Studio Advisor: Jim Mountain & Lyette Fortin
four floors to one of these teachings. Moving up through the floors one seamlessly passes through areas for nurturance, community, loss and reflection via the circulation ramps in the central rose atrium. This rose addition was designed to unite the traditional motif of the teepee with that of the rose, which represents the self in many Western Ojibwe nations.
A part of the project’s challenge was to properly respect the site’s many unmarked
graves. The landscape was designed to gradually build up earth to create paths that guide
visitors to a central healing medicine garden and fit pit, to ensure any potential graves below are not disturbed.
Mooka'am Oculus motif in the form of a dreamcatcher
Mirco to Macro Site Plan
New Entrance on East Elevation
Rose Atrium Interior View looking up
Program Distribution
By following the teachings of the medicine wheel and indigenous values, the design aims
to add valuable cultural and economic spaces to the community. The medicine wheel teaches us that the four directions all embody a different aspect of life’s journey, thus we have decided to assign each of the school’s four floors to one of these teachings. The Southern Red Floor teaches us about nurturance and contains educational spaces. The Eastern Yellow Floor, teaches us about new beginnings and contains community centered spaces. The Western Black Floor teaches us about loss, and contains a full museum of the school’s history. Lastly, the top floor, North, teaches us about reflection and has been turned into a sweat lodge. These floors are united via the central rose, which represents the self.
to add valuable cultural and economic spaces to the community. The medicine wheel teaches us that the four directions all embody a different aspect of life’s journey, thus we have decided to assign each of the school’s four floors to one of these teachings. The Southern Red Floor teaches us about nurturance and contains educational spaces. The Eastern Yellow Floor, teaches us about new beginnings and contains community centered spaces. The Western Black Floor teaches us about loss, and contains a full museum of the school’s history. Lastly, the top floor, North, teaches us about reflection and has been turned into a sweat lodge. These floors are united via the central rose, which represents the self.
The majority of the programming decisions that went into this project were based off of the Muskowekwan First Nations 2018 Economic Development Plan, which highlighted in great
detail many of the developments and services the community believes are urgent,
required or potential for the areas future. Since this project is entirely for the Muskowekwan
people, the Mooka’am Centre aimed to include spaces catered to these programmatic needs, while still allowing for flexibility both in terms of program and age demographic.
For example, the classrooms and multipurpose spaces on the basement level are left open to allow for a variety of educational activities such as Adult Basic Education (ABE), moccasin making, sewing, arts classes, sports, or meeting spaces. The kitchen is also large
enough to accommodate cooking classes and a catering service which were in the Economic Development Plan. On the second floor, the two sample office spaces are
symmetrical and are aimed at providing business development, proposal writing and post secondary application preparation. The gallery space on this floor also features a retail space to provide some economic return.
required or potential for the areas future. Since this project is entirely for the Muskowekwan
people, the Mooka’am Centre aimed to include spaces catered to these programmatic needs, while still allowing for flexibility both in terms of program and age demographic.
For example, the classrooms and multipurpose spaces on the basement level are left open to allow for a variety of educational activities such as Adult Basic Education (ABE), moccasin making, sewing, arts classes, sports, or meeting spaces. The kitchen is also large
enough to accommodate cooking classes and a catering service which were in the Economic Development Plan. On the second floor, the two sample office spaces are
symmetrical and are aimed at providing business development, proposal writing and post secondary application preparation. The gallery space on this floor also features a retail space to provide some economic return.
Rose Atrium Construction Detail
Rose Atrium Exploded Axonometric
Demolition (red) and Construction Proposal (Yellow) Axonometric
3rd floor "Water Floor" Render depicting Residential School Museum and "Water" ceiling detail
Render of Top of Floor of Rose Atrium
Render of Library on Second Floor
Section Axonometric through Rose Atrium and all four floors
South Elevation (left depicting existing entrance) & East Elevation (right depicting proposed entrance)
Memorial Garden
Muskowekwan residential school was home to many atrocities over the years, one
of which is evident by the numerous unmarked graves around the site. The insensitive
nature of these actions guided the design to introduce a memorial garden that acknowledges and pays respect to the lives lost. The goal for this memorial was to offer a private experience for the visitor so that they are to remember and reflect without any visual distractions. The solution was to gradually build up the surrounding landscape and add retaining walls that create a pathway to the memorial. As the visitor approaches the central space, the walls gradually elevate around them to provide a hidden enclosure. The path provides a feeling of descending to the central site but in reality, only the surrounding terrain is being raised. This design strategy is an essential factor to the memorial due to the unmarked graves around it. By adding to the landscape, the design does not disturb any graves that may lie underneath.
of which is evident by the numerous unmarked graves around the site. The insensitive
nature of these actions guided the design to introduce a memorial garden that acknowledges and pays respect to the lives lost. The goal for this memorial was to offer a private experience for the visitor so that they are to remember and reflect without any visual distractions. The solution was to gradually build up the surrounding landscape and add retaining walls that create a pathway to the memorial. As the visitor approaches the central space, the walls gradually elevate around them to provide a hidden enclosure. The path provides a feeling of descending to the central site but in reality, only the surrounding terrain is being raised. This design strategy is an essential factor to the memorial due to the unmarked graves around it. By adding to the landscape, the design does not disturb any graves that may lie underneath.
To offer community interaction with this site, a medicine garden will be planted around the memorial. The enclosure contains a fire pit, common in Ojibway memorial traditions, along with a masonry border that is created from the reclaimed brick of the school. A plaque that details the history of the grave sites and their respective locations will reside at the central space with translations in Ojibway, Cree, Dakota and English. Finally, the path leading to the memorial garden will be inlaid with the imprint of the mocassin to represent the lives transitioning from the material world to the spiritual. This was inspired by memorial practices of the Ojibway reserve in Fond Du Lac, Minnesota. In this reserve the elder Staples believes that “There is a path our people take, and when they go down that path there is the footprints of moccasins, from people that have gone on before them”. This symbolic use of the traditional footwear resonated with the stories from Muskowekwan Residential School thus making the footprints a powerful addition.
Section Cut looking south with Memorial Garden on left side
Diagram of privacy design to Memorial Garden
Conceptual lotus model for atrium design
Conceptual rose model for atrium design
Conceptual teepee model for atrium design
Conceptual model for atrium design
Southwest view of Community Centre
Northwest view of Community Centre
Northeast view of Community Centre
Birds eye view of Rose Atrium and Oculus Design
This project was done in collaboration with Teagan Hyndman
