| Project Name: | Alaska Psychiatric Institute |
|---|---|
| Project Location: | Anchorage, Alaska |
| ALUCOBOND PLUS Materials: |
9,917 sq. ft. of 4mm Silver Metallic |
| Year of Installation: | 2005 |
| Architect: | Koonce Pfeffer Bettis, Inc., Anchorage |
| Fabricator: | KPS, Vancouver, Canada |
| Installer: | Bucher Glass, Fairbanks |
| Attachment Method: | KPS rain-screen systems A and C |
| Images: | Ken Graham Photography |
Alucobond® Material Crowns New Psychiatric Hospital
The new Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API) in Anchorage, which opened for patients in July of 2005, is a visually engaging symbol of sophisticated psychiatric treatment and architectural success.
“This facility was designed for consumers, with consumer participation in the planning and design,” said Alaska’s Department of Health & Social Services Commissioner Joel Gilbertson at a June 2005 dedication ceremony. “Alaskans designed and built a superior facility, ahead of schedule and on budget.”
The dramatic entrance canopy of Alucobond® Material provides leading-edge shelter for those in transit, while the material continues as cladding around windows above the first floor on either side of the entrance. The project features 9,917 sq. ft. of 4mm Alucobond Material in Silver Metallic, fabricated by KPS of N. Vancouver, Canada.
The material was attached by KPS rain-screen systems A and C, and installed by Bucher Glass, Fairbanks. Other exterior materials included a concrete masonry units (CMU) product and a cement backer board/synthetic finish system. One of the key criteria for selection of all materials was low maintenance, an important factor in the Alaskan climate.
Neeser Construction, Anchorage, was the design-build contractor. Koonce Pfeffer Bettis, Inc. of Anchorage was selected as the architectural firm.
“This facility’s form and function embody the best thinking of many Alaskans who worked more than 15 years to build the most sophisticated psychiatric treatment center in the nation,” said Alaska Governor Frank H. Murkowski.
In a woodland setting, the hospital maintains its touch with the natural environment, while establishing its connection to advanced technology and modern, community-based health care. The new facility offers patient care on a single level with landscaped courtyards and non-fenced walls for security. With 129,000 total sq. ft., today’s API employs approximately 260 staff, including approximately 165 nursing, rehabilitation, hospital services, and security staff who work a variety of shifts over a 24-hr. day, 7 days a week. This $35-million facility was designed to replace the original API, which was opened in 1962 and had become inadequate in many ways for today’s needs.
