Walter Soboleff Center:

This Native cultural center was designed to both preserve and amplify the culture of the Tlingit, Tshimsian, and Haida peoples. The building incorporates public spaces on the first floor, with central atria, exhibit hall, performance space, artist spaces, and gift shop. Floor two is office and meeting space for the client, with the third floor utilized for lease office space. The basement includes museum and archive spaces, mechanical/electrical, and staff areas.

The design goal was to translate traditional Northwest Coastal design elements into a contemporary facility. The building features vertical plank panels, faced with rough-sawn 3” yellow cedar. The exterior canopy on three sides uses yellow cedar glulams, copper trim, and patterned tempered glass. The canopy frames slope up to celebrate the principal entries, an homage to traditional clan house post and beam forms.

The interior is organized around a two-story atria which is closed on the interior face by the “Ceremonial Room”, an adaptation of a NW coast tribal house, including a carved and painted cedar front. The open stairwell connecting three levels is detailed with adzed red cedar on the vertical elements, with hickory floating treads, and copper highlights. Integrated art work throughout includes major formline sculpture at the entry, basketry and textile tile patterns, and carved panels using both wood and glass.

The project is on track for LEED gold, with very high energy efficiency. Heating utilizes regional wood pellets, and all lighting is LED. The project scope and program were established by a McDowell Group economic analysis. The building was awarded Alaska’s top architectural design award in 2015.

Entry Facade

ReferenceDr Rosita Worl, Director907-586-9266size: 30,000sfConstruction Cost: $16,500,000

Performance and Meeting Space