In the Nak’azdli Whuten community near Fort St. James, British Columbia, a quiet but significant architectural milestone has taken shape. A newly completed home—modest in scale yet ambitious in intent—stands as a prototype for a prefabricated housing system developed by and for Indigenous communities, using locally sourced wood and locally held expertise.
Described as the first of its kind, the project reimagines how housing can be produced in northern regions. Rather than exporting raw timber and importing finished buildings, the system keeps materials, labor, and economic value within the community itself. Trees harvested from nearby lands are milled locally, transformed into mass timber panels, and assembled into complete homes in a matter of days.
For Nak’azdli Whuten member Elky Taylor, the project represents far more than a single house. “This home means security—not just in housing, but in economics and community longevity,” Taylor says. In a region where employment opportunities are limited, the ability to create a secondary industry rooted in local timber marks a meaningful shift. “It’s something that’s been a long time coming.”
A Collaboration Rooted in Place
The pilot project emerged through a partnership between Nak’azdli Whuten Development Corp. and Deadwood Innovations, a forestry startup based in Fort St. James. Together, they collaborated with researchers at the University of Northern British Columbia’s Wood Innovation Research Lab to develop a prefabricated mass timber panel system suited to regional needs.
Mass timber—engineered by bonding layers of wood into strong structural elements—has traditionally been associated with large urban buildings. Bringing this technology into rural and northern housing marks a notable departure from convention.
“Our approach is about tapping into local lumber, resources, and expertise,” explains Owen Miller, CEO of Deadwood Innovations. “It’s housing that aligns with cultural values, supports sustainability, and delivers affordability without sacrificing durability.”
Building Better, Building Smarter
Prefabrication is central to the system’s efficiency. Panels are designed and manufactured in a controlled factory environment, allowing for greater precision and consistency than traditional on-site construction.
“Because the panels are pre-designed and built indoors, quality control is significantly improved,” says Jianhui Zhou, associate professor of wood engineering at UNBC. “This method allows us to deliver higher-quality homes while increasing the speed of construction.”
The approach also addresses a pressing challenge across many Indigenous and northern communities: housing availability. By using local materials and producing panels year-round, construction can be streamlined. Panels can be fabricated through the winter months and assembled quickly during the summer building season.
“The goal is to commercialize this system within the region,” says John-Paul Wenger, CEO of Nak’azdli Whuten Development Corp. “Instead of producing just a few homes, we could scale to ten or more houses using local crews and contractors.”
From Exporting Logs to Building Homes
The architectural vision behind the prototype was shaped by both practicality and reflection. Architect Neil Prakash recalls watching logging trucks leave the community loaded with raw timber. “We kept asking ourselves—what if, instead of exporting logs, we were exporting finished building panels?”
That idea found its footing at the former Tl'oh Forest Products finger-joint plant in Fort St. James. Now repurposed by Deadwood Innovations, the facility produces the mass timber floor, wall, and roof panels used in the home.
“Having an existing plant where panels could be produced locally made the project feel like a natural fit,” Prakash says.
A Flexible System for Diverse Needs
While the prototype home is a two-storey structure with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a loft, and an open-concept kitchen and living area, the system itself is highly adaptable. Exposed mass timber panels define much of the interior, lending warmth and clarity to the spaces.
Structural engineer Mike Gehloff notes that the panel system can support a wide range of designs—from compact cabins to ranch-style bungalows to larger multi-bedroom homes. “The real strength of this approach is how localized it can be,” he says. “Smaller entities can supply the local market, creating sustained employment and skills development.”
Looking Ahead
The home will serve as a model for approximately 18 months before being gifted to a Nak’azdli family or elder. In the meantime, it stands as both a demonstration and a point of pride.
“There’s excitement here,” Taylor says. “It shows what’s possible. It tells our people—and others—this is what we can do, and we’re ready.”
In its material logic and community-first approach, the project offers a compelling alternative to conventional housing models. It suggests a future where architecture is not imported, but grown—rooted in local land, labor, and long-term resilience.