Walter Soboleff Building Design

Designing Systems for Culture in Daily Use

The Walter Soboleff Building was developed to support a culture that is actively practiced, taught, and shared. For the Sealaska Heritage Institute, the facility needed to protect irreplaceable artifacts and language archives while functioning every day as a place for education, gathering, and contemporary Native expression. The building operates simultaneously as a museum, classroom, archive, and public space, without prioritizing one role over the others.

That responsibility placed uncommon demands on the building. Systems needed to protect sensitive collections, support language revitalization and learning, and perform reliably over decades of use in Juneau’s climate. Performance was fundamental to ensuring the building could carry culture forward while remaining durable, efficient, and adaptable.

Performance, Preservation, and Sustainability

Site development established the groundwork for long-term campus integration, while building systems were designed to meet the facility’s cultural, educational, and preservation needs. The first floor integrates public galleries, a clan house, retail space, and an artist-in-residence studio with direct access to collections. The second floor focuses on language revitalization and includes advanced classroom spaces for both in-person and distance learning, supporting stewardship of the world’s largest archive of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian language recordings.

Energy efficiency and artifact protection were central to system design. RESPEC engineered smart lighting systems to reduce energy use, maintenance demands, and ultraviolet exposure that could damage sensitive exhibits. Precise temperature and humidity control, enhanced air filtration, specialized exhaust systems, and customized fire protection safeguard collections while maintaining occupant comfort. Building information modeling (BIM) supported virtual 3D coordination, which reduced conflicts during construction. RESPEC also provided construction administration services, and our design contributed to the project achieving LEED Gold certification.

A Cultural Anchor Built to Endure

The completed Walter Soboleff Building serves as a cultural anchor for Southeast Alaska. Its systems quietly support preservation, learning, and daily use, enabling the Sealaska Heritage Institute to protect living culture while operating a high-performing facility designed for long-term reliability and stewardship.

Photo credit: Ken Graham Photography