The Hulitan Early Years Childcare Centre provides trauma-informed care to the Indigenous community by creating a profound sense of ‘home’. This calming, supportive, and culturally resonant environment is realized through the extensive and thoughtful use of wood, a material of deep significance to the community it serves. The design honours this connection, weaving natural materials throughout the building to foster well-being, healing, and a connection to the land.

Donated by the local school board, the unique triangular site adjacent to an old-growth forest guided the building’s form. The programmatic layout is organized along a central circulation spine, conceived as an interior street that connects the staff and support areas at the north with the sun-filled childcare spaces to the south. This passage is flooded with natural light through floor-to-ceiling glazing and high clerestory windows, creating a powerful link to the outdoors. The ~ 6,000 square foot building provides care for 74 children, including 24 infants, and 50 toddlers.

The Hulitan Centre is more than a building; it is a carefully crafted environment where the natural warmth and cultural resonance of wood are fundamental to creating a place of healing, learning, and belonging. The significance of wood in the indigenous culture runs deep, and this space strives to honour this connection.

Awards
2025 Vancouver Island Building Industry Awards