Inspired by the oral histories and storytelling traditions of First Nations cultures, in opposition to the Western practices of written record keeping and archiving, British Columbia Truth and Reconciliation Archive is a territory of interior and outdoor aural environments, which surround and interrupt the silent collection of archival material.
In this landscape are five autonomous and acoustically focused chambers, whose experiential qualities are tuned for the activities of listening, recording, storytelling, reflection and gathering. The archival storage and ancillary programs are housed in an expansive box, raised off the ground on concrete piers and accessed through glass lobbies enveloping these cores. The volume of the archive is punctured by a series of courtyards, some of which are occupied by the acoustic chambers, while others simply provide access to sunlight and vegetation. The storage shelving is organized around a grid of vierendeel trusses and daylighting tubes that illuminate the ground below and mark the presence of the archive above.
Against the backdrop of the archive’s silence, the acoustically fine-tuned chambers and the surrounding landscape provides an experience that ranges from spaces for encountering oral histories related to Truth and Reconciliation, to spaces for celebrating the continued importance of oral traditions in the present.
Collaboration with Lőrinc Vass
Acoustic Program, Structure, and Environmental Controls.
Ground Level Plan
Archive Level Plan
Site Model
Section B
Section C
Section D
Listening Space:
A small tower, its interior clad in sound-absorbing perforated timber panels, houses a series of red copper listening horns and playback booths. Accessed through a stairwell winding on its perimeter, the copper horns collect outdoor environmental sounds, including the silence of the archival storage; while the listening booths provide access to audio material related to Residential Schools and the Archive. Simultaneously absorbing unwanted noise and amplifying particular sounds, the Listening Space provides a space of learning and for the appreciation of oral and aural histories.
Reflection Space:
An oval concrete shell sits an top of a moss-covered mound, with an opening to the sky above. The smooth elliptical walls of the interior reverberate sound such that one’s whispers are amplified along the curved surfaces. The entrance vestibule forms into a seating area equipped with radiant heating. A space for quiet and contemplation, the Reflection Space serves as a sanctuary from the potentially overwhelming experiences at the Archive.
Gathering Space:
A cylindrical drum floats above a concrete oval ground, glazed on its top and covered by a stretched translucent fabric on its underside. The fabric resonates in response to various sounds produced above and below it, such as the sound of the rain on the roof, or the sound of drumming. A focal point of the outdoor acoustic landscape of the British Columbia Truth and Reconciliation Centre, the Gathering Space both provides a space for larger ceremonies such as a drum circle, and allows for the everyday appreciation of environmental sounds.
Story Telling Space:
A stepped seating area surrounds a hearth under a sloping canopy, covered in steel panels with absorbent backing. The metal reflects back to the space the sound frequencies essential for speech intelligibility while absorbing lower frequencies, and also reflects the light and heat of the fire back to the space. While acoustically conditioned for Sharing Circles and the celebration of oral history, the Storytelling Space is well-ventilated and can accommodate a fire, and other ceremonies. The lighting of the sacred fire takes place at the beginning of every National Event by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Recording Space:
A vertical space with slightly inclined walls is clad in rounded cedar panels and illuminated by clerestory lights around a fabric canopy. The timber panels diffuse the sound in order to provide ideal conditions for recording and performances. The acoustical properties of the space can be fine-tuned by moving the partition walls and by raising or lowering the light-diffusing canopy. The Recording Space provides a comfortable environment for recording the testimonies of Residential School Survivors, and it also houses a small mixing room and electronic equipment for other types of musical activities.
Beneath the archive on the ground level looking towards the gathering space.
Section Model - Facade Details
Section Model - Inside of the Archive and Listening Space
