the Many Ways : Architectural Intersections of Recreation and Destruction

the Many Ways: Architectural Intersections of Recreation and Destruction is a explorative design-research project that investigates the duality of managing life in wildfire prone environments whilst equally enjoying and thriving in them. It is an exploration that aims to unravel the many ways in which environmental disasters have the capacity to fortify, bond and rebirth communities as stronger and more resilient in the context of environmental tragedies. This project was shaped and developed by the authors personal life experiences as a guide, backpacker, and outdoor sport enthusiast. Life experiences form a fundamental understanding of how we connect with the world around us, informing how we grow, connect and heal. This project looks at how architecture and design can be involved in a community’s process towards resiliency, agency and environmental reconciliation in post-wildfire impacted settlements. More specifically, these themes are explored through the lens of outdoor recreation as a facilitator in the healing process, encouraging engagement with scarred landscapes. Positioned in ItKumcheen / Lytton, British Columbia, the project lives in the current reality where the remaining residents begin to define what rebuilding looks like for them following the loss of the Village of Lytton in the 2021 wildland urban fire. Through mechanisms of fire-resistant design strategies and trails, this thesis investigates this subject on the scale of a provincial + municipal park design; where a pavilion and additional spaces become a confronting host for positive outdoor experiences fostering an opportunity for communities to reconnect with their new found landscapes.