Out of the Square: Engaging Communities Through Urban Gathering Spaces

Supporting and strengthening Indigenous culture is a prerequisite for Indigenous peoples adjusting to an urban environment. Maintaining a strong sense of identity and remaining engaged in the Indigenous community is an essential and self-validating pursuit. This thesis proposes gathering spaces for different cultural groups in Montreal in order to facilitate community engagement and to invigorate cultural identity, with a focus on Indigenous culture.For over twenty years Cabot Square in Montreal has been a central meeting space for the Inuit and First Nations communities. This project explores architecture as a medium to promote inclusivity for the Indigenous community within the urban while creating social and cultural engagement. The thesis proposes gathering spaces as a means to facilitate a meeting and exchange of cultures in order to strengthen ways of expression for the urban Indigenous communities in the city, along with other communities.