Women’s Shelter References Indigenous Traditions for Healing

ByMyProperty Life 01/10/2025

Institutional design not only emphasizes aesthetically pleasing environments that are functional, but also focuses on care and sensitivity to help support occupants during their recovery. LGA Architectural Partners envisioned the Anduhyaun Emergency Shelter in Toronto, Canada, as one such place of hope and healing.

Curved interior wall in deep red with a circular skylight, adjacent to a wall clad in overlapping, light wood shingles on the ceiling and entryway.

A center for women escaping domestic violence, the architects collaborated with client Anduhyaun Inc. to create the culturally specific shelter that honors Indigenous traditions and weaves the theme of revitalization throughout. “We were aligned on the idea that the shelter building has an important role to play in meeting the mandate for healing and stability,” says Brock James, LGA partner in charge of the project.

Curved interior space with dark red walls, light wood flooring, and a textured light wood partition on the right side.

A minimalist room with curved maroon walls, light wood herringbone floor, and three round woven ottomans grouped together near the corner.

A calming, grounding experience begins at the entry. Curved walls covered in glazed blue tiles bring in a subtle sheen. Rooms for intake, counseling, Elders, and staff emerge as natural offshoots. Cedar shingles offer a soothing aroma and are layered to look like waves. At the end of the hallway there is a shared kitchen and dining area, with a private garden beyond.

A circular skylight casts a beam of light onto the wooden floor in a room with curved, matte red walls.

On the main level of the three-story building, wood flooring is arranged in a radial pattern that leads to a special circular room wrapped in cedar. The Nookomis (which translates to grandmother in Ojibwe), is used for meetings and other gatherings. Hidden ventilation in the ceiling supports sacred smudging ceremonies, yet it just as easily serves as a spot where residents and staff can recharge. Here, the interior is a deep grounding shade of sumac red. A skylight casts beams underfoot, marking the passage of days and seasons.

Curved hallway with teal tiled walls, light wooden floors, and a tall vertical wooden column. Several pendant lights hang from the ceiling.

Curved blue tiled wall and hanging pendant lights with wooden paneled surfaces in a modern interior space.

A modern interior hallway with curved blue-tiled walls, wooden doors, glass partitions, and a seating area with plants and natural light.

Modern kitchen and dining area with light wood flooring, round tables set for meals, dark cabinets, and a curved blue tile feature above the workspace. Large windows let in natural light.

The residential floors above feature communal sectors, quiet rooms, and children’s play areas. Residents can socialize, share meals, and relax in these zones. Living quarters are equipped with an operable window, a bed, desk, and wardrobe. Floor plans were optimized to also include three-piece bathrooms in each suite, unlike typical shelters that have shared washrooms.

A modern office hallway with wooden doors, large interior windows, potted plants, and natural light entering through exterior windows.

A tidy bedroom with a floral bedspread and slippers on a wooden floor, adjacent to a workspace with a wooden desk, a plant, glass water bottle, and a coral-patterned cloth on a chair.

A small wooden desk with a laptop, glass bottle, and an orchid stands near an open door leading to a bedroom with a floral bedspread and blue walls.

The Anduhyaun Emergency Shelter is a refuge that draws on core tenets to hold a vision of a brighter future. “The Indigenous way of seeing interconnectedness to all, and the possibility of rejuvenation, really did inspire us,” James notes.

A minimalist bedroom with a single bed, floral bedding, blue accent wall, and a large window with a book and notebook on the windowsill.

A small bathroom sink with toiletries, a rolled towel, a wall-mounted mirror, and an overhead light; blue shower curtain visible on the right.

To learn more about the Anduhyaun Emergency Shelter and LGA Architectural Partners, please visit lga-ap.com.

Photography by Doublespace.

Anna Zappia is a New York City-based writer and editor with a passion for textiles, and she can often be found at a fashion exhibit or shopping for more books. Anna writes the Friday Five column, as well as commercial content.