Safdie Architects designs monumental Cherokee Heritage Center in Oklahoma
US studio Safdie Architects has released designs for an interconnected set of pavilions in Oklahoma, USA, to serve as a cultural campus for the Cherokee Nation.
The designs for the Cherokee Heritage Center feature a set of pavilions with walls that "evoke" layered, earthen materials rising among and above a grove of trees in the Cherokee Nation capital at Tahlequah within eastern Oklahoma.
The tallest of the structures will serve as a beacon among the trees. Called the Great Hall, this structure will be capped with a geometric metallic roof that incorporates the Cherokee seven-pointed star symbol.
Between the metal points of the flower-like ceiling, glass panes will let light into the cavernous spaces inside.
"With respect and admiration for the Cherokee Nation's culture, the design draws inspiration from the historic site," said Safdie Architects founding partner Moshe Safdie.
"Pavilions are arranged in response to the land, structures are immersed within the wooded landscape, and the story of the Cherokee Nation is integrated throughout – creating a setting that fosters connection, belonging, and continuity between the Cherokee people, their history and their land."
The other structures will be topped with metal roofs as well, with differing patterns.
Smaller structures will radiate out from the Great Hall. A bow-shaped covered walkway runs in the middle of the cluster of buildings, tracking with a tree-lined allée that extends out in either direction.
Bridges from the covered walkway will cross over a creek and lead to two wide structures, one triangular in plan, the other semicircular. Both will slope up and away from the central walkway, as does the Great Hall on the other side, giving the whole scheme the impression of a canyon.
Wedged between the triangular and semi-circular structure, which serve as gallery pavilions, is an axe-head-shaped volume that sits lower. This building will be topped with a wavy roof, while a glass wall will become the backdrop for a landscaped amphitheatre/gathering space outside.
The structure is the first stage in an expansive building project that will spread out over the 43-acre site, centred around the remaining pillars of the first Female Seminary of the Cherokee Nation.
Safdie Architects is working with local studio Anishinabe Design Inc on the project, while PWP Landscape Architecture will carry out the extensive landscape that will connect the site internally and externally, foregrounding the natural assets of the land.
The landscaping will connect the new centre with a reconstructed traditional village as well as the Tsa-La-Gi amphitheatre, designed by the first AIA-recognised Cherokee architect, Charles 'Chief' Boyd.
Cherokee National Historical Society chairperson Christine Neuhoff commended the work done by the studios thus far, noting the work to understand the specific historic and cultural context of the Cherokee Nation, a semi-autonomous political entity within the United States.
"They have approached this work with humility, with genuine curiosity and with a deep respect for Cherokee culture and history," said Neuhoff.
"They took the time to be present, to learn from our people, and to build trust through collaboration. Their commitment to listening and to getting it right is reflected in every detail, and we could not be more appreciative."
Most of the cultural site has been closed since 2020 in preparation for the renovations.
The structure is among several in North America that are cementing the historic and contemporary resilience of Native American and First Nations communities.
In Vancouver, Canada, the Squamish Nation is building a skyscraper complex within the city, and in Maine, USA the Penobscot Nation recently completed a mountaintop visitors centre.
The images are by Mir, courtesy of Safdie Architects.
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