With the Sundance Film Festival beginning this week, many eyes are turned on Park City, UT and one of the central venues for the 10 day event - the Kimball Art Center. The historic arts center is in need of a major renovation and upgrade, so they asked 5 incredible architecture firms to come up with sustainable and innovative designs. Over the last couple weeks, we featured all 5 proposals that run the gamut from soaring translucent towers to modern facades that make beautiful use of natural materials - and now we want to know which one is your favorite! So who is it gonna be - BIG, Brooks + Scarpa, Sparano + Mooney Architecture, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien Architects, or Will Bruder + Partners?
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BIG’s Twisting Timber Eco Tower
Denmark-based BIG took inspiration from historic mining structures in Park City to design this twisting timber tower. They combined clean, modern lines with rustic timber to create a daylight-filled space that takes great pains to be energy-efficient.
Brooks + Scarpa’s Cloud-Like Tower
LA-based Brooks + Scarpa designed an airy, cloud-like sculpture to top the renovation of the Kimball Art Center. The proposal features lots of daylighting, natural ventilation, and plenty of public event space.
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Brooks + Scarpa best one
Of the five entries, I’ve concluded that the form and the luminosity (evenings) of Brooks + Scarpa’s entry would be the sole design that provides to visitors and passerbys alike, an exciting and unusual visual–and, in this instance, even a “gravity tug”–an extra bonus that affects the movement, flow and even the spirit of those within eyesight of the Center.
Definitely provoking!
This is not BIG’s best proposal. They keep taking pieces of older projects, and I’m getting a little bit tired about that. Brooks + Scarpa looks awful…I think the more serious proposal is the Sparano + Mooney´s one. They are showing the coldness and beauty of the place, also also you can see it working with the surroundings.
I liked them ALL! They ALL have Special Features that make each one an amazing work of Art . . . to be absorbed by ALL the Senses of Mankind and yet still embrace Mother Nature! Of the five entries and taking into consideration the words – Green Design, Art Center, Park City, and Utah . . . I voted for BIG’s Twisting Timber Eco Tower! Everyone knows that Utah has several awesome Mountain Skiing Locals . . . and BIG’s Twisting Timber Eco Tower says “Mountain Skiing” all over it! My second choice would be Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects’ Box of Sky and Shadow as the colors of this Green Design seem to flow into and out of the Surrounding Mountains like the ebb and flow of Ocean Tides!
A mountain town artistic abstract is screaming to be done representative of it’s people,architecture and topography one comes close. No question they are creative however I believe they miss the mark.
I have to go with the Cloud Tower by Brooks + Scarpa.
I Like BIG’s Twisting Timber too, and agree that it looks like a Ski Lodge; and if I wanted a nature “Rustic ski lodge” I’d choose Twisted Timber. However, for an Art Center, the Cloud Tower looks “Open & Inviting” to the public. The area of Cloud Tower is open, inviting (Looks spacious and bright), making allot more use of its footprint, and looks like a friendly experience. As far as looking like a mountain resort building, I think the Brooks + Scarpa “Cloud Tower” resembles a Snow Cap on the Mountain. It definitely makes better use of natural light, and I can only imagine how gorgeous its canopy would look illuminated at night (A glowing beacon of fresh snow on the mountain). My vote is Cloud Tower by Brooks + Scarpa. “Can I get a free lift ticket now?”
In looking at the images, the two designs for grandiose towers looming over the street make absolutely no sense in a small town like this…. one of the other three are better, it seems to be about choosing the most appropriate materials and image among those options, each with some potential. For raw beauty, if that counts for anything anymore, it would be the Sparano & Mooney design.
The Brooks + Scarpa design provides an appealing and pleasant feel for the modernization. The “Cloud Tower” outshines the others for me, after careful review and consideration. I don’t think the Twisting Timber does it for me, not sure why but just can’t get the same feeling I do for the ‘Cloud Tower’. Good luck on selecting the best design.
The comments from “Skibumdedum” reflect a lot of my thoughts on the project. If this were a ski lodge, some of the others would be acceptable, however, for an art center
My vote is Cloud Tower by Brooks + Scarpa. Best wishes on selecting the right design!
The first time, I voted with my eyes. Now, I’m gonna reinforce my first vote with my heart and my mind. BIG has wonderfully infused the Past, Present, and Future into their Labor of Love appropriately called Twisting Timber Eco Tower. The name is short and sweet. The idea is short and sweet. The Project is short and sweet. This is KISS and this is all about keeping things short and sweet and simple when working with Extreme Mother Nature. Using Reclaimed Trestlewood from Train Tracks, Solar Power, Rainwater Collection, High Performing Thermal Envelope, and Windows/Skylights is the epitome of History Past meets Eco Friendly Future. At night, this Eco Tower shines like a Lighthouse Beacon inviting the Locals and the World into it’s Historical Arms, once again, with a hug to withstand the test of time!
You know, there is a pretty good chance that if BIG’s Twisting Timber Eco Tower wins this Bid . . . this Labor of Love Project just might qualify this Location as a Historical Landmark! Yes, the fact that BIG plans to use Reclaimed Trestlewood from Park City’s Historical Railroad Past might be grounds for a Landmark Recording Number! I would check into this Opportunity if I were you!
You know if BIG’s Twisting Timber Eco Tower wins this Bid . . . this Labor of Love Project may qualify this Location as a Historical Landmark! The Fact that BIG plans on using Reclaimed Trestlewood from Park City’s Historical Railroad Past may possibly earn a Landmark Recording Number! I would check into this if I were you as you may be passing up a wonderful opportunity!