U of T Scarborough’s New Circle Nurtures Indigenous Knowledge – U of T Magazine

November 6, 2025

Beside Indigenous House (expected to open in spring 2027), a unique outdoor space is taking shape – one designed for gathering, ceremony and learning.

At its heart lies a space to hold a sacred fire, ringed by 30 large log seats and a landscape of 150 trees, 120 shrubs and 50 perennials. The native plant species include fruit and nut-bearing trees, medicinal plants and others chosen to support endangered butterflies, moths and birds.

The Indigenous Gathering Circle was designed by landscape architects Public Work in collaboration with Nikibii Dawadinna Giigwag, a U of T-based summer employment program that connects Indigenous youth with land-based traditions and pathways into architecture design and ecological restoration. Students in the program researched plant species, advised on layout and suggested programming for the space.