Ambrose Place

ACCESSIBLE ARCHITECTURE: BEYOND THE RAMP – OCTOBER 2016
In 2006, NiGiNan Housing Ventures, a not-for-profit group hired me to design a housing project for
persons who are currently homeless. Ambrose Place primarily serves homeless individuals and
couples of Aboriginal descent: chronic substance abusers who cannot be housed within existing
facilities. Some may have been barred from existing facilities, while others may feel that the existing
facilities do not meet their requirements and thus do not use them. Many of the individuals suffer
from concurrent mental health issues such as dual addictions. The housing focuses upon improving
the quality of the individual’s life, health, and well-being, looking beyond the labels of addictions or
disability to look at the whole person including their history, culture, mental, physical, and spiritual
needs. The role of the practitioner is to educate the person on options and consequences, thus
enabling the individual to improve their quality of life, health, and wellbeing through gradual nonjudgmental
means. Ambrose Place meets these standards.
The architecture adheres to the principles of American sculptor Davis Best of Burning Man fame.
“…it’s more important who goes inside…A building itself should never be more important than the
people.” The beauty of this project is not just based on its visual aspects, but in its ability to transform
people’s lives. There is tremendous beauty in living with grace, safety, and confidence.
The design of Ambrose Place provides an environment that facilitates individual growth and
development and enhances the individual’s self-esteem and capacity for independent living.
Residents need to have a sense of control over their own lives. The project transformed six raw,
vacant lots on the south side of 106 th Avenue between 96 th and 97 th Streets in downtown Edmonton.
Through its enhancement of the built environment with social housing that enhances the quality of
life of its residents, Ambrose Place reaps both social and economic benefits for the City of
Edmonton.
180