Kristen Juneau Health + Wellness

Elevation - Northwest

The Juneau Health + Wellness Center is a large facility meant to encapsulate healthcare and self improvement into one area. There are eight wings of offices and medical providers to supply Juneau and the surrounding area’s citizens with equal access to a multitude of healthcare services. Medical, dental, administration, accounting, behavioral health, education and vocational and dietary health services and a wellness center each have their own wing in the complex.

Elevation - East - Exterior

Drawing from the area’s history and native people, the Tlingit Indian culture provided ample historical precedent and inspiration for the building design and the interior aesthetic. Using their stylized art, the windows and roof lines mimic that of an abstracted fish and flying bird, two important animals in the Tlingit culture.

A101 - Overall Floor Plan - Level 1

The history of Juneau and southeastern Alaska belongs to the Tlingit and Haida Natives. The Tlingit and Haida Natives have a specific type of culture that is expressed in many visual ways, including that of the totem pole. Their artistic style is very abstract and stylized. In Tlingit culture specifically, the two animals most revered are the Eagle and the Raven. These two birds are used to teach virtues throughout Tlingit culture and explain the reasons behind the actions of men. This historical storytelling element became the inspiration for the floor plan design and how the building looks from the air. There are two identical plans in abstract shapes of a bird in flight, each pointing away from each other.

A102 - Overall Floor Plan - Level 2

These two buildings represent the Eagle and the Raven, drawing from the history of Tlingit myths and storytelling culture. These two components bring balance to the design and the overall concept. Being that this health and wellness center would be built along the coast, the initial inspiration for the architecture of this center was taken from none other than birds - specifically seabirds, but the abstract idea of a beating wing is seen along the roofline at any angle.

INTERIOR

DESIGN

Juneau Health + Wellness

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