The Alaska State Library, Archives, and Museum in Juneau, Alaska features 21,380 SF wood grille ceilings. They span heights upwards of 42 feet over the building’s lobby, library, and reading room.

The project features 3,282 individual wood grille panels made of solid Western Hemlock. The wood grille panels are all 1’ wide and in various lengths. Alaska SLAM also made use of 98 LF of square wood trim pieces.

The wood grille ceiling is a mosaic of triangular shapes all on pitched planes, forming a series of inverted hips and valleys. The entire ceiling assembly is raked from one end of the building to the other—about 42’ at one point, down to 16’ over the library.

“The ceiling is evocative of the rugged [area] landscapes,” said architect Steve Simpson of Hacker Architects (formerly THA Architecture), Portland, Oregon. “The contour flattens out near the perimeter clerestory windows, allowing direct views of the high mountain ridgelines.”

Alaska SLAM wood grille ceilings were the result of five years of planning, design, and fabrication by 9Wood.

The Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., features an 18,075 sq. ft. crosspiece backer wood grille ceiling and wall system. They include over 1,500 individual wood grille panels and 72 specialty access panels.

The FSC certified beech used for the ceiling and wall system was sourced in Germany from the largest beech supplier in the world. Natural outdoor light activates “the warm hue and deep texture of the European beech walls and ceilings,” the architect says.

The Smith Campus Center is a dream come true, according to Harvard University’s new president. It’s a common space where, she says, “people could bump into each other, share ideas, find spaces in which to have meetings.”

The architect is happy with the results. “Precise alignments from wall to ceiling with immaculate detailing at every opening reinforces the main gathering space and is visible from the adjacent street,” the architect says.

“It was the most complicated wood job we’ve ever done,” the subcontractor says. “It was difficult to make it beautiful. But, we made it happen.”

The Nesmith Readiness Center is the new location for the 162nd Combat Engineering Company. Thomas Hacker Architecture (THA) wanted to incorporate elements that really evoke the “hands-on” quality of combat engineers, which is why 9Wood was brought on to provide the walls and ceilings for the main Grange Hall.

9Wood’s custom capabilities with the 1100 Cross Piece Grille were a major factor in being selected for the completed space. For this project, THA chose solid two inch wide by four inch deep Western Hemlock. The grille panes were provided in two different member spacings to alter the look as the eye follows the walls up to the ceilings. By removing 9Wood’s final sanding process, the Western Hemlock Grilles have a rough-sawn texture, as well as markings from the kiln-drying process. This gives the Grange Hall a feel of having been in service for decades, while having only been completed in October of 2012.

Architect Derek deVille continues by stating that “wood is a common building material in the Pacific Northwest. There’s a large tradition of wood structures both for Grange Halls and also the large barns of the area. 9Wood seemed to be the perfect sort of material for that.” The Hemlock was harvested within 500 miles of the jobsite, adding to the regional-sourcing aspect.

The Colonel Nesmith Readiness Center is a grand addition to the Oregon National Guard and the Dallas community. Designed for Guard assemblies and community events, the Grange Hall will stand as a welcoming space for years to come. The 9Wood walls and ceilings are a highlight of the building’s design, and a beautiful tie-in of the rich history of Northwestern American culture. Receiving a Northwest Walls & Ceilings Bureau’s 2013 Outstanding Project award only adds to the special nature and design of this unique project.