A dynamic campus hub at Thompson Rivers University, the Brown Family House of Learning blends sustainable innovation with First Nations cultural storytelling. Designed to foster community connection and visibility of Indigenous culture within the academic experience, this 62,800-square-foot facility serves the broader student population while thoughtfully addressing the learning needs of the university’s Indigenous students.

The LEED Gold certified building unifies diverse programmatic elements—including a large research library, the Assembly Hall, a Learning Commons, classrooms, instructional labs, faculty offices, flexible meeting rooms, a First Nations gallery and a café—around a four-storey atrium. Double-height volumes and generous glazing flood the interior with natural light, blurring the boundaries between the campus landscape and the academic environment. Wood is used intentionally throughout including structural systems and exposed finishes to bring natural warmth, acoustic balance, and fine craftsmanship into the building.

Balancing public engagement with intimate study, the ground floor is anchored by the Learning Commons and smaller breakout project rooms for student discussion. Consolidated on this level is the First Nations programming, which integrates the gallery space, and the main lobby leading to the Assembly Hall. Inspired by regional traditions, the Assembly Hall translates the architectural language of a traditional Interior Salish Pit House into a contemporary 300-seat theatre and classroom. Its stepped circular shape accommodates various activities from daily lectures to traditional ceremonies, conferences, and performances. Partially subterranean, the hall features a roof designed of Douglas Fir glulam beams and pine beetle logs centred around a large north-facing skylight that opens the forum directly to the sky.

Deeply embedded into the initial design process, the project’s primary intent was to ensure that Indigenous culture permeates the entire facility rather than serving as an addition—a vision developed through a collaborative knowledge-gathering process with First Nations students, faculty, Elders, and community members. These elements include the building’s glazing patterns, structural components, and interior surfaces, drawn from the intricate basketry weaving of the Interior Salish peoples; the landscape’s native plant gardens and plaza paving based on Secwépemc motifs; and high above, a prominent Corten steel sculpture of a coyote (Sk’elep) by artist John McEwen—fashioned from metal stars and perched on the roof facing east to welcome the morning sun—stands as a permanent symbol of how Indigenous knowledge protects and enriches the university community.