Tistilal Village
CLIENT:
Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)
CERTIFICATION:
Earth Advantage Platinum
Tistilal Village is a 58-unit housing project developed by the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) in Portland, Oregon. Located in the Portsmouth neighborhood along North Lombard Street, the community offers convenient access to schools, grocery stores, public transit, and other essential services.
The site has a layered history: it originally housed a school, which became a 34-family cluster housing development called Tistilal Village, a name that was carried forward when the site was redeveloped into its current form. ‘Tistilal’ means Thunderbird in Quileute, the language spoken by the Quileute people of the Olympic Peninsula.
Community engagement happened during COVID in the parking lot of the previous development with the intention of encouraging residents to return to the new community. Residents shared their input on unit layouts, shared amenities, and building features. Their feedback directly influenced the design of community spaces, flexible rooms, and the overall accessibility of the building.
The design draws inspiration from the Pacific Northwest longhouse, a symbol of extended community and shared life for many Indigenous tribes. Within the three-story structure, the community spaces are concentrated within the longhouse volume, consistent with their traditional role. The residential units are scaled to minimize impact on the surrounding single-family homes and are arranged around a courtyard.
Trauma-informed design features, such as chamfered corners, large windows, and strategic glazing enhance sightlines and natural light, while acoustics were carefully planned to reduce sound transfer.
The color palette was informed through research into traditional Indigenous pigments historically derived from clays, berries, and other natural sources.
Sustainability is a key focus, supported in part by the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF). The project achieved an Earth Advantage Platinum Certification through continuous exterior insulation, solar panels, and ducted split air conditioning systems with window sensors. Art was planned and integrated from the outset, with dedicated interior and exterior spaces for murals and interior installations.
Through thoughtful design, cultural grounding, and active resident participation, Tistilal Village creates a residential community that balances accessibility, sustainability, and trauma-informed practices, while centering the voices and needs of its residents.