Our tenant improvement project for the BC Ministry of Children and Family Developments in Port Moody incorporates a ceremonial room designed for smudging and drumming circles. Anticipating how the space will be used, Francis James sang and played a hand drum and pow wow drum as part of a moving performance held to test the acoustics. Francis, whose traditional name is T’emotheltel, is a member of the Musqueam First Nation by marriage and originally from the Stó:lō people of the Fraser Valley. Francis is the lead singer of the Smokey Valley Drum group who have been singing since 1994.

We are grateful to have had the opportunity to experience the harmony between this moving performance, the architecture and the natural backdrop. This was truly a unique experience that will inform the design as we move the project forward.