Just west of I-95, the new Lumbee Tribal Welcome Center will serve as a new gateway for the Lumbee Tribe and the town of Pembroke. The site is adjacent to the tribal housing complex and embedded in the Lumbee-Moss Neck community. The design for this welcome center creates a thoughtful and distinct complex which projects the region’s unique character and history, all while remaining authentic to its immediate community.
The welcome center’s design is rooted in the Lumbee’s needs and the area’s surroundings. The tribe requested a fuel station, restaurant, and craft and farmers’ market to help generate revenue to fund the tribe’s outreach initiatives, provide community amenities, and educate and inform the public about the history and culture of the Lumbee Tribe. The design uses the adjacent Highway 711 to the south and the Lumbee residences to the north to organize the program. The fueling station opens to the approaching highway, while the farmers’ and craft markets open to the community and create a park atmosphere. A great canopy—recalling the wings of a falcon, one of the tribe’s sacred animals—shelters and unifies the shifted program bars.