Hooper Bay K-12 School

Hooper Bay, Alaska

Firm

USKH, Inc.

Client

Lower Yukon School District

Area

74,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$25,329,555

Completion Date

12/2006

The architect developed a K-12 school design that met the many demands of this rural Alaska school district. The facility also is used as a community gathering location; therefore, the commons area and gymnasium were designed with a removable partition to accommodate various sizes or multiple events.
The design team also took care to incorporate the Yup’ik heritage into the design of the building. The exterior envelope includes translucent panels with color and texture that represent traditional skin windows. This allows light to enter during the day and radiates a welcoming glow at night. The school greets the community, mirroring the light in the window of a bygone era when hunters followed the glow of the skin windows to guide them home.
A fire that resulted from vandalism destroyed the old K-12 school while the new school was under construction. Hard work and cooperation among the design and construction teams resulted in the new school being completed ahead of schedule, allowing for early occupancy. Life-safety features and security measures were incorporated to mitigate future harm to the facility.

Associated firms: Estimations, Inc.; Duane Miller & Assoc.; Lino Agosti & Assoc.; FIRE Services; Stephen R. Braund & Assoc.; Adams Consulting & Estimating; Neeser Construction, Inc.