Residential School Survivors Memorial Garden

Client

First Light

Location

St. John’s, NL

Date Completed

November 2021

Project Team

Inuit Elders, Residential School Survivors, Woodford Architecture

Recognition

2022 Award of Excellence, Atlantic Provinces Association of Landscape Architects

Project Summary

The vision for this garden space was developed collaboratively with the client, a committee of Elders and Survivors, and the architects. The intention was to allow users to learn about the impact of residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador, but also to celebrate the strength, courage, and tenacity of the Survivors to reclaim the cultural elements that were taken away from them.  

Every element of the garden’s design speaks to this message. The entrance passes through a confined space at the rear of the building demarcated by stones with Survivor quotes. It’s a space that feels somewhat uncomfortable and restricted, an experience not dissimilar to that of the Survivors. Upon entering the garden, the views open and the feeling of restriction lifts. The grey stone underfoot transitions to green and the mood changes to a feeling of relief and optimism; a metaphor for the experience of leaving an uncomfortable place such as a residential school.  

The garden itself is where the message shifts to one of perseverance. Its design is rich with imagery that celebrates Indigenous histories, cultures, and experiences. The softscape is mass-planted with native plants, “messy” like the landscapes of Newfoundland and Labrador. Raw materials are favoured; wood, stone, and corten steel, chosen because it becomes stronger with age, much like a residential school survivor. Standing proud in the middle of a garden is a structure supported by seven pillars, each representing a residential school in NL. They support a trellis-like structure that defines a multifunctional gathering space. It is designed to resemble an Inuit drum, an important cultural symbol. At the centre of the space is a corten steel fire bowl filled with Labradorite, a native mineral and connection to the ancestral lands of Labrador. Fire is an important cultural element used for ceremony and an appropriate focal point for the garden.