A Framework for Healing and Growth

Since 1988, the Cherokee Nation Jack Brown Center has provided chemical dependency education and treatment for Native American adolescents. The center serves native youth ages 13-18 who are experiencing substance abuse problems. Over time, the limitations of the original facility prompted a move to a new site—one better aligned with the Center’s holistic approach to healing and its vision for a more supportive, community-oriented environment.

The first step in relocating the Jack Brown Center to a new site was to create a Master Plan that would transform a historic farmstead outside Tahlequah, Oklahoma, into a purposeful setting for healing and support. Rather than imposing a singular institutional solution, the plan draws from what already exists—land, structures, and patterns of use—to shape a campus that feels grounded, familiar, and restorative. The result is a place that reflects the Cherokee Nation’s commitment to improving the lives of Native American adolescents through thoughtful, community-centered design.

Making the Most of the Land

The master plan organizes the site to fully leverage its natural features and existing assets. Set into a gently sloping hillside and surrounded by open meadowland, the campus is arranged to define a series of outdoor rooms for gathering, activity, and reflection. Buildings and pathways work together to create clear relationships between residential, treatment, and communal spaces while maintaining a sense of openness across the site. Expansive fields support traditional Cherokee stickball and ceremonial use, ensuring the landscape remains central to both daily life and cultural continuity.

Jack Brown Center Master Plan

A Framework for Healing and Growth

Making the Most of the Land

Clarity, Community, and Care