Native American architecture—Subarctic
Native American architecture in the Subarctic region, which encompasses much of present-day Canada, reflects the unique environmental challenges and cultural practices of its Indigenous peoples. The region is characterized by cold winters, heavy snowfall, and diverse landscapes, including mountains, lakes, and forests. To adapt to these conditions, various dwelling types were constructed using locally available materials such as saplings, bark, and animal skins.
In the northwest, structures like double lean-tos, portable tents, and wooden plank houses emerged, showcasing innovation through contact with neighboring cultures. The eastern Subarctic featured wigwams, which were cone-shaped and crafted from birchbark, framed with arched wooden poles, and often had central hearths for warmth and cooking. Seasonal adaptations included brush-covered lodges for summer and earth-covered cabins for winter, with some communities migrating to milder areas during the colder months. Tipis, favored by nomadic groups for their portability, were also prevalent, constructed from wooden poles and animal skins. A practical aspect of Subarctic architecture was food storage, often achieved through elevated log structures to protect supplies from wildlife. This architectural diversity highlights the resourcefulness and resilience of Subarctic Native American communities in response to their environment.
Native American architecture—Subarctic
Tribes affected: Algonquin, Beaver, Beothuk, Carrier, Chilcotin, Chipewyan, Cree, Dogrib, Han, Hare, Ingalik, Kaska, Koyukon, Kutchin, Naskapi, Slave, Tanaina, Tutchone, Yellowknife
Significance: The architecture of the sparsely populated, expansive Subarctic region was primarily wigwams, lean-tos, log houses, and tipis
Geographically, the Subarctic region, comprising much of present-day Canada, is a land of mountains, tundra, evergreen forests, lakes, and streams, with cold winters and heavy snow. Raw materials used for dwellings were saplings, bark, brush, planks or logs, and animal skins.
In the Northwest, basically three types of shelters were used. Double lean-tos made of wooden frames were covered with bark, animal skins, or brush. As a result of contact with Northwest Coast Indians, Subarctic Indians made wooden plank houses. Portable tents for summer and winter were used in the northwest Subarctic with snow piled against the sides for winter insulation.
In the eastern Subarctic region, the cone-shaped wigwam was covered with birchbark rolls. Framed with wooden arched poles, the wigwams were covered with rolls of bark which had been sewn together. The floors were layered with pine boughs, and the larger wigwams had central hearths or family fires. Double walls filled with brush in the wigwams provided cooling in the warm months. Brush-covered conical lodges and tents were also used as summer dwellings, and earth-covered conical structures and log cabins with moss-covered roofs were used in winter.
In the Subarctic, some Indians migrated to warmer climates during the winter. Tipis were used throughout the region by those who moved often because they were quickly built and portable; they were made of wooden poles and animal skins.
A basic need of Subarctic community was safe food storage. A simple log building constructed on poles off the ground provided a place for food to be stored out of the reach of animals.