Sagú Daakahídi: Taku River Tlingit First Nation Multi-Use Community Space

About This Project

In the remote community of Atlin, BC, ISL partnered with the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN) to bring a long-held vision to life — a modern, multi-use facility that serves every generation and honours the community’s culture and identity.

ISL was the prime consultant and structural engineer, working closely with contractors and mass timber suppliers, providing services from conceptual design through to completion of construction. ISL assisted TRTFN with space planning and a needs assessment for the facility, including funding applications.

The goal was to create a facility that sufficiently served the diverse needs of a remote, multi-generational community. By working closely with the community and actively involving them in design decisions, ISL was able to create an inclusive space for recreation, gatherings, and wellness for all ages. The new facility will support activities such as basketball, hockey, skating, broomball, and potlatches for up to 150 people

Where site constraints posed challenges, ISL adapted the building layout to work within the property’s unique boundaries, preserving the full scope of the facility’s features without compromise.

Constructed with a striking mass timber and steel roof structure, the building reflects a commitment to durability, aesthetics and a reduced carbon footprint, aligning with both ISL’s approach and TRTFN’s vision for their community. At the outset of the project, a wood structural system was compared with pre-engineered steel and fabric structure options, and was selected based on cost, durability, aesthetics, being “made in Canada”, and the ability to involve local labour. The roof structure of the covered recreation surface is conventional lumber joists, supported on repeated queenpost glulam trusses. The changeroom building is conventional light-framing, and is designed with super-insulated assemblies to keep operational costs to a minimum.