BECKONING WANDERLUST
To recover the Historic Sperry Chalet ruin in Glacier National Park, our studio was challenged with reimagining the hiking destination for future generations to explore.
As a different approach, we designed structural joints alone with the intention of later evolving these into entire buildings. I found an interest in the form and practicality of the traditional sawhorse, so I referenced the composition to create several interations of my own. These interventions would grow to directly inform the supporting structure of the ruin and the skeletons of the cabins.
Before the Sperry Chalet burned down in 2017, the building served as a hostel for the select adventurers who made the 7 mile hike. Now I envision the opportunity to honor the Sperry Chalet's history by allowing the ruin to serve as a nature observatory and outdoor amphitheatre.
Respecting the requirement to house at least twenty hikers, I strung ten cabins in pairs along the entry trail. Surrounding the chalet ruin, the pairs are each arranged to have different views of the valley below. They are designed to spark nostalgia of camping with the use of translucent polycarbonate walls and cable-suspended glulam beams. Although the cabins aim to provide an elevated experience, their focus is to admire nature and wildlife as the grand spectacle.
HISTORIC SPERRY CHALET - THEN & NOW
