Stunning West Vancouver Island Lodge is a Model of Sustainability

Sustainability for the long term has always been a deeply held value of the Ucluelet First Nation, and it shows in the way they have designed this resort to fit into the wild landscape with a minimal ecological footprint.

Being light on the land

Wya Point resort is perched on the shore of a sheltered cove of the Pacific Ocean, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, with a beautiful sand beach and rocky headlands. The islands in the bay are often seen covered with resting sea lions. The forest on the shore is lush and green, with cedar trees so big it takes two people to stretch arms around them.

The lodges are also clustered together near each other. This makes it convenient to walk from one to another and leaves more of the land undisturbed. Only a few trees needed to be cut down to make space for the lodges, and these trees were milled to provide a portion of the lumber for the construction of the lodges.

Local materials

The magnificent cedar beams and posts for these lodges were harvested and milled locally, with respect for forest biodiversity. The natural cedar shingles are also local. This minimized transportation distance and supported local and indigenous forestry workers.

Cultural Sustainability

The Ucluelet First Nation involved their community in the design of the lodges to ensure that they reflected the indigenous culture of this place and its people. The elders liked the aspect of the ‘longhouse,’ a traditional community-dwelling with long beams and heavy pillars, while the youth liked the clean, modern look with large windows for a lot of daylight.

Each lodge features wonderful and unique artwork. The showpieces are wood carvings by resident artist Clifford George that represent various culturally significant spirit animals. Some of the lodges are named after their spirit animals – Raven, Killer Whale, and Thunderbird all make their appearances.

Inspiration

If you are looking to design a cottage or home, you can take inspiration from the beauty of these lodges, especially the way they feel right at home in the landscape. They are made to fit into their surroundings, to reflect the spirit of the place and the people here. Visiting Wya Point is truly an inspiring experience.