Smudging Room - East Memorial Building, Ottawa

EVOQ designed a smudging room in Ottawa’s East Memorial Building, headquarters of the Department of Justice Canada. This project facilitates Indigenous smudging ceremonies while serving as a powerful symbol of reconciliation.

The centrepiece of the space is a ceiling sculpture by artist Pinock Smith, inspired by the traditional wigwam of the Anishinaabe people. The ceiling was reconstructed with a circular cove harmonizing with the sculpture's oculus, featuring light shelves for indirect lighting. On the floor, a medicine wheel motif aligns with the smudging circle’s cardinal directions.

Honouring Indigenous traditions while meeting contemporary needs, the 10 m² space benefits from a high-efficiency independent ventilation system, colour-tunable LED lighting, as well as acoustic improvements and automatic doors for optimal accessibility.