Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Client: University of Alaska
Market Sectors: Education
The goal for this renovation was to revive an existing structure at the University of Alaska Anchorage and inspire a creative collision among students. The renewal project put the building under the knife by splitting the dark center wide open with a two story ‘slice of light’ that completely transformed the structure. Friendly, well-lit seating areas off the main circulation path provide gathering areas to encourage informal learning outside of scheduled classes. Photos by Alaskan artists were integrated into the architecture and added life and color in illuminated light boxes in the main hallways. To create clearly defined entrances, light-filled entry vestibules were added to the existing concrete shell.
Where the Beatrice McDonald Hall once looked inward, it now feels connected. The new entryway allows students to flow seamlessly through the building by creating a continuous flow to the rest of the campus. The exterior landscape design provides concrete paths to emphasize that flow and connect traffic to the adjacent buildings.
