The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Patient Housing facility provides a welcoming residential environment for patients traveling from remote rural communities across Alaska to receive care at the Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC). Because many communities lack local medical services, patients often must fly long distances to Anchorage and remain for extended stays during treatment. Located on the ANMC campus and connected to the hospital by a skybridge, the facility allows patients and their families to remain close to care in a setting designed to support rest, healing, and community.
Designed as part of a three-phase campus development that also includes a parking structure and skybridge, the six-level, 108,748-sf building contains 200 guest rooms designed for both short and extended stays. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide abundant daylight and views to the surrounding landscape, while flexible furnishings allow each room to function as both sleeping and living space for patients and accompanying family members.
Shared spaces throughout the facility foster connection and comfort. At the heart of the building, a dining area with a Marché-style servery is framed by an exposed glue-laminated timber structure and overlooks a landscaped courtyard and outdoor play area. Communal kitchens allow guests to prepare traditional foods brought from their home communities, reinforcing cultural familiarity and connection. Family lounges, wellness spaces, and interactive children’s play areas support social connection and healing during patients’ stays.
The sixth floor, operated by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington and Alaska, provides 17,175-sf of housing for expectant mothers experiencing high-risk pregnancies, with teaching kitchens and gathering spaces that support learning, family bonding, and care preparation.
Glazed stair towers, heated bus shelter, and an elevator provide comfortable and safe connections to Patient Housing and the Alaska Native Hospital via the 2,561-sf skybridge also designed by KPB Architects. The exterior is wrapped in terracotta baguettes, creating a distinctive identity that reflects the cultural context of the campus while contributing to a cohesive architectural expression.