Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre - Exterior/Entrance

The award-winning cultural centre is located in the unique Canadian desert in Osoyoos, British Columbia - designed to exhibit the desert and culture of the Okanagan people. The potential of architecture to convey the rich past of the people is expressed through the sensitive siting of the building in the landscape, and the use of expressive, warm, and rich materials such as the rammed earth.

The center is part of the land of the Osoyoos Indian Band, with the fragile surrounding landscape guiding the sustainable design of the center. The center features the longest rammed earth wall in North America, standing at 80m long, 5.5m high, and 600mm thick. It is made from local soils with concrete and color additives, and its thermal mass is able to sustain thermal warmth and comfort in the cold winters, while providing a cool interior in the summer months.