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 […]
Celebrating Landscape Architecture Month! What is Landscape Architecture. Landscape architecture is a combination of design, strategy, and guidance. Practitioners must be skilled in the art of sculpting the land itself and have a deep understanding of the past, present, and desired future conditions of our environment. Due to their multidisciplinary training, landscape architects may […]
Happy Alaska Day! We are so fortunate to live, work, and play in the most beautiful place in the world! What is your favorite thing about Alaska?
Indigenous Peoples Day in Alaska We wanted to create a space for those to learn more about Indigenous Peoples Day and why it is important to celebrate this day not just in Alaska, but nationally and globally. Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the past, present, and futures of Native peoples throughout the US. The holiday […]
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 […]