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Vancouver’s Formline Architecture has proudly announced its achievement as the first Indigenous-owned architectural firm to receive the Governor General’s Medal for Architecture. This prestigious recognition was awarded for the design of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre on the University of British Columbia campus.
Alfred Waugh, the founder, and owner of Formline, expressed his gratitude: “This award is not only a tremendous honour but also a significant boost for my fellow indigenous and Métis architects—it affirms that our designs are being acknowledged at the highest levels.”
Through ‘indigenuity,’ a term coined by Alfred Waugh, it brings together Indigenous Ways of knowing and Western Knowledge that creates modern architecture, that reflects Indigenous culture with one foot in the past and one foot in the 21st century.
The Centre is located between UBC major libraries and serves as a groundbreaking facility that presents interactive exhibits in the “Vault of Memories,” which includes names, photographs, and records of over 150,000 Indigenous Canadians affected by the residential school system. Up to 6,000 are believed to have perished, the Centre provides a poignant insight into a tragic chapter of Canada’s history. It is designed to be accessible to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous visitors, fostering a space for shared understanding and healing.
Waugh’s architectural approach intentionally blends emotional resonance with cultural significance, using natural materials and integrating tranquil gardens and ponds to complement the experience. He describes the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre as “architecture for the reconciliation era—a memory chamber and bridge between communities, envisioned as a cornerstone in the healing process for all Canadians.”