A modern house with stone and wood exterior, large glass windows, and a staircase leading up to the entrance, situated in a forested landscape with a moose nearby and a large sun in the sky.

Evanesce

Topographical map of Taku Glacier with an overlay of a site location and wind direction indicator, featuring contour lines and labels.

Perched up on a mountainside overlooking Taku Glacier, Evanesce acts as a research and learning center for the effects of climate change on one of the deepest tide-water glaciers on earth. The name reflects the fading nature of the glacier as it recedes due to rising temperatures.

Drawing inspiration from the local architectural vernacular, the building evokes the feeling of a warm resting place set into the mountainside. The stone walls help the structure blend into the landscape while the cantilevered observatory stands out. The form is designed to reflect its different functions inside: observatory, bedrooms, living quarters, laboratory, and auditorium. Further, the observatory’s wood clad façade is reminiscent of a log cabin, a pure and humble form of architecture, displaying Evanesces own humility toward the at risk environment.

Evanesce will primarily function as a research center for scientists but will also welcome up to 30 visitors a day from nearby Juneau who can come learn about the effects of climate change on Taku Glacier. The visitors can visit for three hours a day and can enjoy the observatory and flanking terrace, as well as attend a lecture by one of the researchers in the auditorium.

Location
Taku Glacier, AK

Designed
Winter 2025

Diagram of building groups color-coded as public (green), semi-private (blue), and private (brown).

Diagram of a cross-section of a building in a cold, mountainous region with a large water body or glacier behind it and snow-covered mountains in the background.

A topographical map showing a wooded area with contour lines, displaying a proposed winding trail connecting an existing helipad near the Taku River to a building complex on the hilltop. The map includes a boat/seaplane dock at the river and indicates wind direction.

A stylized illustration of an indoor space with a textured wall, wooden stairs, and two semi-transparent silhouettes of people, one walking and one sitting on the stairs.

Interior view of a room with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking mountains and a body of water; a silhouette of a person stands by the window, and a built-in stone fireplace with a bench is on the left side.