Upper Tanana Health Clinic

The Tanana Chiefs Conference (an Alaska Native non-profit corporation) provides behavioral health, dental, and medical services to the region around the community of Tok at the Upper Tanana Health Center. As a Tribal facility, a cultural committee helped to develop the stories to be imbued into the building and site. With limited space and budget, the project’s success relied upon thoughtful design with simplicity and function. The region’s rivers, lakes, and shorelines are essential in life and culture. Paving patterns continuing into rock mulch reflect the braided river channels of the area. Birch screen panels, boulders, and plantings provide some separation from vehicles. The plaza allows reflection, with a central stone for focus.

Approaching the entrance of the Upper Tanana Health Center, you walk through the vehicle drop-off area with a “braided river” aesthetic for concrete pavement and planting areas. The Tanana River is only a short distance away and is an incredibly productive fishery, a reason the Tanana Tribes have always been here.

Location: Tok

Client: Tanana Chiefs Council

Components: Landscape Design, Site Design