Client: Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte
Architect: Snyder
Designer: Rochelle Moncarz
Project Completion: Under construction, opening early 2026
Target audience: Elder’s and family of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte
info@snyderarchitects.ca, snyderarchitects.ca, @snyderarchitects.ca
Snyder Architects is a Toronto-based, full-service architecture firm specializing in supportive, community- focused spaces such as seniors’ care and education facilities. With a legacy since 1980, the firm is driven by innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous learning and design excellence.
3 key points
Holistic Well-Being and Identity
Designed as a place to live and thrive, not just receive care, the home fosters physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being through inclusive community spaces and culturally meaningful design choices shaped by local input.
Outdoor Garden with Indigenous Plants
The site features numerous outdoor garden areas planted with native species, providing residents with a familiar and beautiful environment that fosters connection to their cultural heritage and the surrounding landscape.
Indigenous-Led Vision
The project centers Indigenous values and community care, creating a culturally grounded, accessible space that supports elders through private rooms, prayer and gathering areas, and land-connected design.
Snyder, 2025
The DIAC Design Impact Framework centers around five key themes:
1. VISION: Design embodies the vision
What cultural, social, and environmental priorities shaped the early vision of the MBQ Elder Care Home, and how are these priorities and the project’s core vision reflected in its architectural and spatial design?
The MBQ Elder Care Home was envisioned as an Indigenous-led, sustainable and community-focused space rooted in cultural care and connected to the land. The vision shaped its accessible, low-rise, village-like design with private rooms, native landscaping, and community areas such as a prayer space and gardens.
2. FUNCTIONALITY: Design enhances functionality
How does the design of the Elder Care Home respond to user needs-such as accessibility, comfort, and cultural practices-through spatial organization, material choices, and environmental strategies to ensure effective daily use for elders, caregivers, and the community?
Designed with the MBQ leadership, the home prioritizes comfort, accessibility, and cultural relevance through features like medicine gardens, biophilic materials, and community spaces. It brings lasting value to the Indigenous community by enabling elders to age in their community, honoring traditions, supporting daily care, and strengthening connections to the land and culture.
3. BRAND: Design creates brand
Was there an existing brand identity or cultural image that the MBQ Elder Care Home was designed to reflect, and how was that identity incorporated into the design?
As the first long-term care home in the community with no pre-existing brand, the centre incorporates MBQ branding to reflect and reinforce the community’s cultural identity in its design.
4. ENVIRONMENT: Design embeds environmental benefits
How does the building’s environmentally sustainable design contribute to the health, comfort, and well-being of its senior residents?
The project is Zero Carbon Certified and has a strong sustainability mandate. The home’s environmentally sustainable design, including high-efficiency systems, a high-performance envelope, a solar array, and a shift away from natural gas, enhances the health, comfort, and well-being of residents and staff by prioritizing energy efficiency and renewable resources.
5. HEALTH & WELLBEING: Design promotes health and wellbeing
How does the design of the MBQ integrate Indigenous principles and culturally relevant elements to foster healing, dignity, and a strong sense of identity while supporting the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of its residents?
The MBQ Elder Care Home was designed as a place to live and thrive, not just to receive care—emphasizing wellness for both residents and staff through biophilic design, private rooms for dignity, and culturally rooted gathering spaces like the main atrium, community and family dining areas, courtyards, and firepit. The single-story building connects deeply to the land with mature trees, grade-level access, and outdoor amenities, fostering a strong sense of place and identity. Stakeholder input, even during COVID, shaped key features like the adult day program and outdoor spaces, ensuring diverse needs were met in a way that supports holistic well-being.
6. Key Success Performance Indicators
Currently under construction, the MBQ Elder Care Home is designed to reflect Indigenous values, sustainability, and community connection through private rooms, culturally meaningful spaces, and accessible, non-institutional layouts. Its high-performance building systems, biophilic elements, and collaborative planning aim to enhance resident well-being, operational efficiency, and long-term community value.
