Design of Cultural Preservation Center for the Nez Perce Tribe

The Cultural Preservation Program of the Nez Perce tribe centered in Lapwai , Idaho is growing and in need of additional space to house its many programs. Due to this need , the team considered several alternative solutions to provide necessary space for the Cultural Resource Program to continue growing , while maintaining the several programs it currently oversees. Alternative designs considered include the renovation of existing buildings near the current Cultural Resource Program , the use of historical structures within the reservation and the building of a new structure or structures to house the Cultural Resource Program. The final solution was to provide a preliminary conceptual design for a new Cultural Preservation Center located within the Nez Perce Reservation , central to the Nez Perce community. The Center was designed to be located near the Nimiipuu Health Center and the Nez Perce middle school within the reservation. The conceptual design included the structural design and complete foundation design of the provided preliminary architectural plans as well as environmental considerations. The environmental considerations included a stormwater management plan that involved the design of stormwater containment areas and mitigation methods in addition to the design of a retaining wall. This conceptual design provided the Cultural Resource Program the necessary starting point to continue working towards a functional space that promotes cultural growth with the partnership made with Santa Clara University (SCU). The team recommends the continuation of this design process for an additional year with SCU to complete the design and consider a construction management schedule to be implemented with the design of the Center