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Harvey House
Harvey House
St. John's, Canada
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Other Projects by Woodford Architecture
Harvey House
St. John's, Canada
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2025
SIZE
3000 sqft - 5000 sqft
BUDGET
$5M - 10M
Harvey House is a transformative redevelopment for First Light, an Indigenous-led non-profit formerly known as the St. John’s Native Friendship Centre. As one of several buildings operated by the organization, the existing structure, an 1800s two-storey heritage house with a 2002 rear addition, has been reimagined into a 10-unit transitional housing facility designed for women and 2SLGBTQIA+ relatives with lived experience of violence. Guided by trauma-informed principles and Indigenous worldviews, the project fosters safety, cultural connection, and a sense of belonging within St. John’s historic core.
The redeveloped facility includes ten self-contained one-bedroom apartments, each with exterior access, supported by communal gathering areas, a shared kitchen, flexible rooms for programs and workshops, and administration spaces for on-site Inclusion Case Managers. A major intervention involved lowering the basement by 600 mm to create a new accessible street-level lobby, paired with a new elevator and stair tower connecting all three floors to ensure barrier-free circulation throughout.
To create space for the new apartments, four two-storey structures were added along the building’s elevation, each offering living spaces, bathrooms, and exterior decks. Brightly coloured dormers reference traditional St. John’s row-house forms while giving each unit its own identity and strengthening its connection to the neighbourhood context. Inside, natural materials, soft lighting, and warm wood finishes establish a calm environment, with subtle Indigenous influences grounding the space in cultural meaning without overt symbolism.
Sustainability was integral to the project, with extensive reuse of the original structure, major insulation upgrades, triple-glazed windows, and efficient air-to-air heat pumps. These measures collectively achieved a 25% reduction in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions relative to 2015 NECB/NBC standards.
Harvey House demonstrates how thoughtful, culturally grounded design can support healing and independence. More than housing, it builds community resilience and offers pathways to stability, dignity, and hope.
The redeveloped facility includes ten self-contained one-bedroom apartments, each with exterior access, supported by communal gathering areas, a shared kitchen, flexible rooms for programs and workshops, and administration spaces for on-site Inclusion Case Managers. A major intervention involved lowering the basement by 600 mm to create a new accessible street-level lobby, paired with a new elevator and stair tower connecting all three floors to ensure barrier-free circulation throughout.
To create space for the new apartments, four two-storey structures were added along the building’s elevation, each offering living spaces, bathrooms, and exterior decks. Brightly coloured dormers reference traditional St. John’s row-house forms while giving each unit its own identity and strengthening its connection to the neighbourhood context. Inside, natural materials, soft lighting, and warm wood finishes establish a calm environment, with subtle Indigenous influences grounding the space in cultural meaning without overt symbolism.
Sustainability was integral to the project, with extensive reuse of the original structure, major insulation upgrades, triple-glazed windows, and efficient air-to-air heat pumps. These measures collectively achieved a 25% reduction in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions relative to 2015 NECB/NBC standards.
Harvey House demonstrates how thoughtful, culturally grounded design can support healing and independence. More than housing, it builds community resilience and offers pathways to stability, dignity, and hope.
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