The St. Croix Ceremony Building is a culturally grounded space for traditional medicine, ceremonies, and community healing. Design Tree provided MEP engineering services for the drum and celebration space, residential-style kitchen, toilet rooms, storage, and parking lot reconstruction. Our scope included power, lighting, HVAC, plumbing, utility coordination, and energy code compliance. We delivered construction documents and coordinated closely with the architect and owner through design and bidding.

A unique feature of the ceremonial gathering space was the integration of four specialized air filtration units designed to support traditional ceremonies that may include a ceremonial fire at the center of the room. The system helps remove smoke and airborne particles while maintaining a comfortable indoor environment for occupants.

Each unit incorporates a three-stage filtration process capable of capturing up to 95% of contaminants. Working together, the units provide approximately eight air changes per hour within the space, helping restore indoor air quality efficiently following ceremonial use.

By thoughtfully integrating modern building systems with cultural practices, the design supports the building's purpose as a gathering place while respecting and accommodating important Indigenous traditions.

Photo © Dan Jandl Commercial Photography