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 soaring canopy—recalling the wings of
a red hawk, one of the tribe’s sacred animals—shelters and unifies the shifted
program bars.