Foregrounding Community in Student Housing

Located on the traditional territory of the Tsimshian Kitsumkalum People in Terrace, British Columbia, Coast Mountain College embarked on an ambitious student housing plan in 2020 to replace aging facilities with new state-of-the art residences. This project was more than simply providing housing for students, it was designed to bring together a diverse campus community and provide spaces on campus for a full home-away-from-home experience.

HDR was engaged by Coast Mountain College (CMTN) to act as the owner’s representative for this design-build project. We helped CMTN identify efficiencies by rethinking the business case for two buildings and apartment-style suites, and combining the two facilities into a single building with shared amenities. Rather than self-contained suites, we worked with CMTN to redesign the facility into hotel-style units, increasing the shared spaces in the facility without increasing the overall building area or cost. The new building is designed to encourage students to spend time outside of their individual suites and in common areas that accommodate studying, cooking and conversing with other students in dispersed project rooms.

The semi-modular facility satisfies the BC Wood First Act through use of light wood-framed modular units, and a mass timber central atrium. The building exceeds BC Energy Step Code 4, allowing the facility to be net-zero ready and reduce the overall campus energy and water usage following demolition of four obsolete buildings.

HCMA was the Design and Architect of Record for this project.

The name, Wii Gyemsiga Siwilaawksat, was given by the Kitsumkalum community and translates as “where learners are content and comfortable”. The building sits on the traditional territory of the Kitsumkalum people in Terrace, British Columbia, serving seven different First Nations: the Haida, Tsimshian, Haisla, Nisga’a, Gitxsan, Wet’suwet’en, and Tahlta peoples.