Situated on the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, this is a place representative of the North’s two seasons. Winter: at rest around the fire in the warmth of the circular bent pole and skin shelter. Summer: full of light and activity, drying fish and tanning hides on filigree, working beside elegant and sunlit structures at the edge of the river.

The Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre is a contemporary building and a response to what the client, who has much experience on the land, had to tell. The building responds to the traditional temporary structures and habitations of a nomadic people who have made their home in a harsh climate, and allows traditional design features to settle into the permanence of a modern, functional building. The result is a place of dance and storytelling, of collecting and showing artefacts, of gathering by the Yukon River, a place for celebrating the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in culture and a home to its people. It is also the home of the repatriated Talking Stick. But it is also a place to share with those who wish to visit and learn.

This project earned a 1999 Lieutenant-Governor of BC Award of Merit from the AIBC. Completed under predecessor firm Florian Maurer Architect Ltd (ownership Jack Kobayashi and Florian Maurer).  Project Lead: Florian Maurer.