The Kahnawake Museum
Large Assembly
Kahnawake, QC
Project Overview
The Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center (KORLCC) was created in 1978 to preserve and enrich the language and culture of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) of Kahnawà :ke, located in Kahnawake, Quebec. The goal of this project is to build a state-of-the-art facility that will serve as a beacon of Onkwehonwe knowledge. The new 4,800-square metre building will be situated on three acres of land and will include the construction of a large-scale, multi-purpose building and auditorium. LRI provided Building Code consulting services with an approach for the application of the Building Code to form the basis for the design of the facility and its fire protection systems.
Our impact on the project
The Kahnawake Museum project grew out of our relationship with the architect, Provencher Roy, and our ongoing consulting work with them. Dedicated to the Mohawk community, the Language and Cultural Arts Centre will be used to exhibit historical artifacts and will include a theatre, banquet hall, offices, multi-purpose activity rooms, commercial kitchen and gift shop. LRI participated in the Design Development and Construction Documentation phases. One of the major challenges of this project was the need to comply with various building codes, as the museum is located on a First Nations reserve where there is no formal building code. As a result, compliance with the Quebec Construction and Safety Code and the specific requirements of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, were implemented in accordance with the requirements of the Authority Having Jurisdiction, i.e. the Kahnawake Fire Department.