Water source of concern: an architectural response to the implications of the Winnipeg Aqueduct on a way of life in Shoal Lake 40 First Nation

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the community of Shoal Lake 40 First Nation in Northwestern Ontario and the impact of the Winnipeg Aqueduct on a way of life. This thesis aims to present an architectural response which provides a restorative environment for a community, as well as developing a sustainable economy within that community. The main architectural response includes a water purifcation centre, a community greenhouse and a constructed wetlands park. Potable water will then be available to the community’s residents. Once this is established the second phase will be an eco-lodge that incorporates the living museum previously established within the community, along with a series of cabins, as this will promote eco-tourism. A series of landscape and low impact design strategies are also planned throughout the proposal across a spectrum of design scales, from the master plan, to the building scale, including the ecological. Through these phased interventions over time, the community of Shoal Lake 40 First Nation will frst provide potable water to its residents, and then subsequently continue to develop a sustainable community