Illuminating Natural Light Opportunities Explore options early in the design process Summer solstice is a much-anticipated milestone here in Alaska, when music, festivals, outdoor recreation, and more help us celebrate June 21, that glorious day of seemingly endless daylight. The quality and quantity of this daylight should be a key consideration whenever a new […]
Celebrating World Environment Day Year-Round Energy Efficiency. Energy efficiency is top-of-mind for virtually every building owner or project manager we work with. Alaska’s harsh weather conditions, coupled with supply issues and remote locations, make optimizing a facility’s energy use both challenging and mandatory. Reduced energy use not only lowers operational costs, it also directly […]
Spenard Road This much-needed reconstruction of Spenard Road from Hillcrest Drive to 30th Avenue, in Anchorage, Alaska significantly improved vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle connectivity and safety. The project created a road that is safe, welcoming, accessible, and convenient for all users and multiple forms of transportation. The team’s landscape architects provided site planning, landscape, […]
Next Generation Designers & Builders At the beginning of July, I had the pleasure to participate in AIA Alaska Northern Section’s first-ever architecture workshop for kids. The design problem: the perfect tree fort or clubhouse. The solutions: ten incredibly different and creative structures with ladders, hammocks, zip lines, water collection systems, off-grid alternative energy […]
A Whale Raising Exhibit This spring there occurred at the University of Alaska Museum of the North (UAMN) a whale raising. Like a historic barn raising, there was immense preparation, wide participation across many different specializations, and a well-deserved celebration at completion. Unlike a barn raising, the result was a 43-foot bowhead whale skeleton […]
Celebrating Solstice: Daylight & Design Design in Alaska seeks to find a balance amongst many unique Northern conditions and project demands. Daylight is one of those challenging Alaskan conditions that requires a thoughtful, deliberate approach to optimize daylight at the extremes of and in between summer and winter solstices. The continuum that our extreme […]