Jackson Hole Public Art and Center for the Arts conceived its 2018 Pavilion Project as both a place of community engagement and a venue for artistic expression located in the heart of downtown Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Part of the Center’s Creative in Residence Program, the concept was to create a gathering place that in itself was a sculptural art piece. This would in turn be used in a variety of ways — both formal and spontaneous, and always open to the public — in pursuit of artistic experiences in the open air.
Winner- Urban Design & Architecture Design Awards 2019
Firm | CLB Architects
Category | Pop-Ups & Temporary
Team | Eric Logan, Matt Thackray, Forrest Britton, Charlotte Terry
Country | United States
The Center’s call for designs attracted ten proposals from throughout the valley’s artistic community; a blind submission process assured that the winning proposal would be selected solely on its merits. The architects were granted the project on the strength of the form and function of its design, Town Enclosure.
Located on The Center Park lawn, Town Enclosure is a circular array of cross-laminated timber wall panels erected vertically and spaced so as to invite exploration. The foundational elements are steel helical piers and connectors. These re-usable foundation and attachment pieces are steel, planet Earth’s most recycled product. The connective elements are concealed by a circular gravel field, which defines the limit of disturbance.
From a distance, the composition speaks to the surrounding mountains, engages passing drivers and pedestrians and adds sculptural interest to the flat lawn of a park surrounded by downtown buildings. Its form is derived from symbols of placemaking in the Mountain West, such as fences and corrals, as well as iconic landmarks like the West Buttress of the Grand Teton. It’s simultaneous transparency and opaqueness create layers of interpretation, lending depth and complexity to an otherwise simple form. True engagement happens as one moves around and within the panels.
Intended as a performance and exhibition space for community artist and groups, Town Enclosure acts as an armature for creative discovery.
