Kahtnuht’ana Duhdeldiht, or the Kenai River People’s Learning Place, opened in 2022. The building’s façade features wood repurposed from the community’s historic cannery, as well as copper-colored aluminum panels, featured on our
cover, which simulate salmon skin. Engineering and design firm Stantec provided its services for the project, owned by Kenaitze Indian Tribe.
Giovanna Gambardella, buildings principal and architectural leader at Stantec, says that when it comes to culturally responsive design, “You’re creating a partnership between the designers, who are experts in the technical aspect, and the community, who are sharing their stories about what their culture means to them.”
