Nak'albun School

Fort St. James, British Columbia | 2010-2014

Located in Fort St. James overlooking picturesque Stuart Lake, Nak’albun Elementary is envisioned as becoming not only a premier school, but also a place for the Nak’azdli First Nations community to congregate. Truly a community-based project, that engaged local artists, trades people and students, PWL worked closely with the community and consultants to create a site-specific design response. Play areas were situated to take advantage of the surrounding natural scenic landscape. A swale constructed with locally sourced stone wraps around the north side of the school capturing and slowing snowmelt in the spring before it is diverted down the embankment and ultimately to Stuart Lake.