Location: Deadhorse, Alaska
Client: Atlantic Richfield Company
Market Sectors: Industrial
One of Architects Alaska’s early arctic projects was the design of the Prudhoe Bay Operations Center. The facility includes living quarters in four separate, two-story modules. A large sea-lift module approach was chosen to make the project more economical and create less of an impact to ongoing operations. The modules were designed to be placed by simple field connections, incorporating “sponsons” (minimal structural connections to foundations) as permanent supporting elements that elevate the structure for transport and reduce impact to permafrost.
This project was considered to be highly innovative at the time of its construction in 1976 and was recognized again 2015, when it was awarded the first ever Excellence in Northern Design award from the American Institute of Architects.