such thinking in schools of architecture and other design disciplines. Frankly, we must emotionally invest more of ourselves in truly affordable and accessible housing that benefits us all — not just us as individuals, but us as a society. 3 The best design projects start with great collaborations. This means that those who control the design project must be willing to take a leap of faith design journey with the architects and designers committed to producing a beautiful building or space that accommodates the largest community possible. Hope and energy are at the core of this design philosophy. case studies I’m showing here two affordable and accessible housing projects where I was the architect. Both projects were funded in part through government grants and both projects have been designed primarily for persons who are First Nations. Ambrose Place in Edmonton (Off-Reserve) primarily serves individuals and couples who are experiencing homelessness and are of Aboriginal descent. Métis Community Elder’s Housing in Lac Ste. Anne (On-Reserve), is designed to afford local residents safety and independent access to housing as they age in place. We worked very closely with the client communities reinforcing their active engagement right from the beginning of the design process and beyond. Both projects focused on three key building design features as the starting point: no-step entrances, accessible vertical circulation and wheelchair accessible bathrooms. Further design development considered the needs of as many people with differing disabilities as possible allowing us to develop overall solutions that are not only functionally effective but more affordable. These two affordable and accessible housing examples featured on the following pages demonstrate that things only need to be slightly different to be more inclusive. They highlight that meaningful participation by all of those involved is the most effective way to positive outcomes. This requires a deeper understanding of the issues important not only to the architects but to the people who will occupy the building including individuals with disabilities, to those responsible for development and building code requirements, and to those funding the project. It takes the collective creativity and willpower of a community to build a community.
Ambrose Place, Edmonton, Alberta
Métis Community Elder’s Housing, Lac Ste Anne, Alberta
Ron Wickman Architect
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