The Tla’Amin Community Health & Multi-purpose Centre houses the integrated primary medical, dental, social services and traditional healing programs for the Sliammon First Nation. The facility is located on the Sliammon Reserve, north of Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. The building is a multipurpose centre that will also house the Sliammon Band Council meetings and provide flexible space for the development of community health and cultural programs, as well as a conference facility. The project began with a feasibility study to establish goals, visions, timeline and budget; this study was also used for fund-raising efforts by the Tla’Amin Community Health Board.

The final building design was carefully oriented to the cardinal compass points and located in a natural wooded setting to benefit the traditional health and cultural programs envisioned for the facility. The physical expression of the building draws upon the traditional Tla’Amin cedar shed in its form, and incorporates an abundance of Band-supplied red and yellow cedar in its heavy timber structure and siding. Contemporary and traditional detailing create a balance of performance and local artistry. The result is a civic building, with flexibility of use, that speaks to the pride of the Sliammon nation in their past and optimism towards their future.

Related work: First Nations healthcare