Legislative Assembly Building Northwest Territories

The first permanent home of the Northwest Territories' Legislative Assembly dominates its shore setting on Frame Lake. Situated on a rock outcrop with a peat bog landscape, the unique dome-like structure is only a short walk from Yellowknife's business core. The exterior walls of the 55,000 square foot building are clad in both sheet and cast zinc panels lightly tinted with green glazing. Zinc shingles cover the dome roof and form the undulating roof edge. Zinc was chosen as a construction material as it is mined in the NWT and also because of its subtle weathering qualities. The primary focus of the bulding is the chamber which can be viewed from the Great Hall, a large public meeting place. The chamber design was chosen to represent the unique form of consensus government in the Northwest Territories. Artists from the North, in collaboration with southern glass and zinc artisans, created northern designs and artistic schemes directly on the glass surrounding the chamber and caucus rooms. The building features specially designed chairs and white maple and sycamore wood finishes throughtout.