UVic adds National Centre for Indigenous Laws

Photo courtesy Chandos Construction.

A hybrid mass-timber and steel building structure, provisionally named the National Centre for Indigenous Laws (NCIL), is set to open this summer as a new wing of the University of Victoria’s (UVic’s) Fraser Building, where it will offer the first-ever joint degree in Indigenous legal orders and Canadian common law.

The 2,680-m² expansion of the Fraser Building, which contains UVic’s Faculty of Law and Law Library, was designed by Teeple Architects (primary building architecture), Two Row (Indigenous Values design) and Low Hammond Rowe Architects (renovations and contract administration) and built by Chandos Construction. The project team also included Fast + Epp (structural engineering), AME Group (mechanical engineering), AES (electrical engineering) and McElhanney (civil engineering).

The consulting engineering firms collaborated with Chandos to strive for sustainability, to avoid additional bulkheads or other elements that would detract from the architects’ intent and to ensure ease of access for UVic’s maintenance teams.

Instead of removing trees on the site, Chandos repurposed them as exposed structural columns throughout the building, reducing its carbon footprint, and created rain gardens for irrigation and stormwater management. Further sustainability measures included maximizing solar orientation, installing below-slab heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, ensuring the building uses 100% sustainable electricity and diverting 83% of waste from the project.

Indigenous perspectives were also reflected in construction, as Chandos consulted the Esquimalt, Songhees and Saanich Nations to align the project with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC’s) calls to action. Indigenous contractors from Vancouver Island played a major role, with 19% of expenses going to businesses owned by Indigenous communities.

Chandos worked with the Victoria Friendship Centre to recruit Indigenous workers and engaged the Indigenous-owned Khowutzun Development Corporation (KDC) for more than $2 million in civil and excavation work. KDC, in turn, partnered with smaller Indigenous contractors and bands on work opportunities. In the end, nearly 28% of total project hours came from workers from equity-seeking groups, including Indigenous workers.

“The hybrid mass-timber and steel structure required precision and innovation,” says Thomas Oster, senior project manager for Chandos. “Tools like building information modelling (BIM) and spatial artificial intelligence (AI) technology allowed us to address challenges early. From moisture management plans for mass timber to designing ventilation systems for smudging ceremonies, every technical decision was made with care to honour the building’s purpose and the community it serves.”

Photo courtesy Chandos Construction.