Creating dramatic architecture can be challenging in an icy climate where people prioritize function over flamboyance and where the natural environment can satisfy their desire for beauty. The state of Alaska has breathtaking vistas of mountains, snow flats, and the dancing aurora borealis, but its urban landscapes have tended to remain resilient and simple. — Published 2007.0502
The new building for the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) at the University of Alaska in Anchorage is becoming a cultural icon. ANSEP serves many different indigenous cultures, each with different ideas about appropriate symbolism. The building's final form was based on a shared icon arrived at after an interesting, sometimes arduous, journey. — Published 2007.0307
