Pamunkey Cultural Resource Center
With their Cultural Resource Center, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe is finding ways to serve their community.
The Pamunkey Indian Reservation holds a place of significance in Virginia’s cultural landscape. The smbw team was engaged to craft a space that serves everyone in the Pamunkey Indian Tribe with a focus on preservation, community, functionality, and resilience. The Cultural Resource Center will celebrate the tribe’s history and their relationship to the natural landscape, support new and old programs, act as an emergency shelter, and be a gathering place for generations to come.
Project Profile Coming Soon
Cultural Resource Center
Market: Community
Location: King William, VA
Size: 7,500 SF
Year Completed:
Est. 2025
APPROACH
The architecture of the CRC tells tribe’s story through the vernacular of their architectural history, blended with a modern approach. The building is gridded in the vein of traditional structures among many North American Tribes including the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, with a pitched cedar roof and vertical sidings. Being so close to the Pamunkey River, the tribe has used its waters for hundreds of years for fishing, travel, trade, pottery, and access to natural resources. Elements that utilize water are threaded throughout the design of the space.
The entryway hospitality lounge welcomes the community into the space and offers users a place to sit, meet, and grab a coffee. Facility offices and multipurpose rooms create a space for learning and flexibility, hosting a variety of classes and programs. The CRC’s Great Room offers more public, front-facing space for events that boasts striking views that bring the surrounding landscape into the room and accommodates between 150 and 200 people.
