Gowen Field 900 Block Barracks

government | boise, idaho

The site is located on Gowen Field that is home to the Idaho Air National Guard and the 124th Fighter Wing and the Idaho National Guard 204th Regiment and is a Regional Training Institute. This project was part of a larger plan to remodel and repair structures on the base that needed interior and exterior work.

Intended to be a short term, temporary structure during WWII, these timber framed barracks on piers have stood strong through time. To help keep them strong we designed an exterior and interior renovation to lengthen the life of the buildings, provide a modern and attractive aesthetic, provide comfortable quarters for soldiers during their training. We provided a foundation to reinforce the timber structure while converting the open bay barrack spaces to individual rooms and upgraded the building’s systems to provide energy efficiency and comfort. The exterior was designed with brick and metal siding accent wall elements creating the campus tapestry. Throughout the project documents and artifacts were discovered in the building, including flight training certificates from WWII, and on display in the museum and several other locations on base. We’re encouraged to know that these buildings will long surpass their expected life and that they will continue to improve the lives of our country’s service men and women.