Suquamish Longhouse

community center for tribal activities

Suquamish Longhouse

Suquamish, WA

Inspired by the traditional longhouses of the region, this new community house serves as a gathering place for the tribe. The 6,000 SF facility has an auditorium with perimeter bench seating for 600, and a central, wooden floor area specifically for traditional tribal song and dance. The central area allows for traditional table seating for 300 guests. The facility also includes a commercial kitchen and a 1,000 SF reception area with accessible public restrooms. The structure mimics the traditional construction of a longhouse. The large open space required the use of large glulam roof beams carrying the roof loads to long-span peeled and distressed log beams and log columns. Some of the log columns were carved with traditional art by the tribe and some were planed down to accommodate a carved plank. Four large custom doors required custom steel framing around the openings to carry the massive load.

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