View of NCIL from the forested slope featuring the Sky Classroom, Multi-purpose Classroom, Atrium and Mezzanine. (Rendering by Tango Studio)
The University of Victoria's (UVic) National Centre for Indigenous Laws (NCIL) is dedicated to shaping a shared path for Reconciliation in legal practice, housing the world’s first joint degree program in Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders. A direct response to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, the design was developed in dialogues with Indigenous legal scholars, Elders and knowledge-keepers. Embodying ideas of "forest as teacher" and "walking the path,” the building sets a precedent for how architecture can meaningfully advance processes of decolonization.