the elders duplex | Chisasibi, Québec
o n the shores of James Bay, just inside the delta of the La Grande River, lies the Cree community of Chisasibi. Once a seasonal camp, then a trading post (Canniapiscau), and finally a small town with a population of 3,500, Chisasibi is the largest of the nine Cree villages in Northern Quebec.
In 1980 the village inhabitants were relocated from the island of Fort George. The endur- ing legacy of this relocation is overcrowding, and due to the rapid nature of the relocation, the site planning and building construction was substandard. The inhabitants have since suffered through season after season of sewer back-ups, mouldy wall cavities and build-up of thick crusts of ice within the ceiling plenum.
peter hargreaves
While the provincial and federal governments must continue to fulfill their obligations, within the community seeds of local innova- tion are germinating. The housing shortage crisis in this community is most acute for the elderly. In response, the local housing ad- ministration requested proposals for housing prototypes suitable for elderly and physically challenged individuals, cared for by a live-in family member. One prototype was developed which can be adapted to fit specific site conditions and orientations. The prototype represents a permanent architecture that respects the traditions of the First Nations people. The architecture attempts to assuage the very difficult climatic conditions of the far north. The building is constructed in a manner that lessens the very high cost of construction in northern communities. Tradition The building may be oriented in accordance with the street layout, however the plan always allows for an entrance facing east, ac- cording to tradition. The entry hall/mudroom of each home is a high, well lit, naturally ventilated space that can be used for tradi- tional cooking, craft, equipment repair and drying of skins and meat. Each entry hall has a centrally placed wood-burning stove that distributes heat to the entire unit. The teepee is still very much a part of the
colour shows ‘two’ houses
typical floor plan showing the division of uses
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on |site 13
housing | houses | house
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