Red Crow Community College: Rebuilding Canada’s first Tribal College

For over 30 years, Mi’kai’sto Red Crow Community College (RCCC) has served both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students across southern Alberta. As the first Tribal college in Canada, RCCC is a leader in delivering education rooted in Blackfoot culture, dedicated to the growth and empowerment of its community.

After a fire destroyed the former Saint Mary’s Residential School campus in 2015, the College saw an opportunity not only to rebuild what was lost, but create a space that embodies healing, renewal, and the passing of knowledge to future generations.

Located in the heart of the Blood Reserve within the Blackfoot Confederacy, home to Kainai First Nation, the new 130,000-square-foot facility supports both academic and the community. It includes classrooms, a library and artifact room, flexible learning spaces, a gymnasium, outdoor teaching areas, a student centre, and administrative offices. A central gathering atrium links to a commercial kitchen and dining area, a childcare centre, and a round room serving as a spiritual space for Elders.

The design reflects deep collaboration with community Elders, students, faculty, and staff. Roundtable engagement sessions shaped six design drivers – Blackfoot Identity, Kinship, Inclusivity, Inspiration, Innovation, and Resiliency – each informing the building’s form, materiality, and spatial organization.

Set within the landscape, the design preserves sacred views and maintains a strong indoor-outdoor connection. The sloped roof references local farming structures, and the landscape design integrates native vegetation and sustainable stormwater systems to reflect both ecological and cultural resilience.

The new campus stands as a powerful symbol of strength and resilience for Kainai Nation, and vibrant hub for learning, gathering, and healing. It supports the college’s vision of achieving full employment for Indigenous youth through education and training while honouring Traditional Knowledge and the Blackfoot way of life.