NIC’s house of learning - tul'al’txw 

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As North Island College celebrates 50 years, it is opening tul'al’txw, the college’s first housing for students. The name means “house of learning” in Pentl'ach.

When you walk up to the entrance of the new housing site at the Comox Valley campus, the image that greets you is of a frog—specifically from a frog button blanket. K'ómoks artist Pamela Mitchell’s choice of the frog is perfect; she calls the design “the knowledge keeper,” which she picked because of the creature’s knowledge and adaptability.

The individual buildings and other elements also have traditional names that reflect the three languages within the traditional territory of the K’ómoks people. From the start, the project has included input from the Indigenous community, as the K’ómoks First Nation and NIC’s Indigenous Education Council helped develop the concept.

The province announced funding for the project in February 2022, and the following January, a blessing event with the K’ómoks First Nation marked the official start of work on the site.

Project partners Urban One Builders and HDR Architecture have overseen the design, engineering and construction of tul'al’txw, and they’ve included many Indigenous elements throughout the structures, including numerous interior and exterior locations for Indigenous artwork and a Gathering Place inspired by traditional Big Houses. Along with Indigenization, they have also incorporated features to promote accessibility and environmental sustainability. Such measures have garnered attention, including a 2024 BC Embodied Carbon Award for HDR and the college in the Large Building category.

The new buildings now provide a home with 217 beds, including 157 student beds in two linked buildings and 60 beds for students with families in the third building. The housing includes a number of options from single occupant units, including nano and studio suites, quad units for up to four and family units for students with dependents. Beyond providing a nearby place to live, tul'al’txw will bring students closer together.

“Student housing is more than just a place to sleep — we know that it is a community where students can find belonging, support, and the space to grow personally and academically,” says Mez Jiwaji, associate director, Student Life. “Student housing is also a space where lifelong friendships are built, and the foundations for future successes are laid.”