Currently housed in a historic building that once served as a stable and later an automotive garage, the Kimball Art Center is the heart of Park City’s vibrant arts community.  Brooks + Scarpa’s light and airy design for the new Kimball Art Center addition creates a new visual icon for the city, a glowing beacon that can be seen from afar and experienced intimately.  Drawing from the clear blue skies of Park City - with nary a cloud in sight whether summer or winter - the building’s translucent and slightly faceted skin serves not only an aesthetic purpose but also is key to the building’s thermal performance.  Composed of a translucent honeycomb material, the envelope acts as a rain screen around a more conventional glazing system on the upper floors.  Double-height workshops  on the ground floor are visible to the public through a glass facade with full-height sliding doors, providing a transition from the existing historic building to the cloud-like addition while creating a visual connection with the exterior courtyard and busy street corner.

I was primarily responsible for conveying these design intents through the construction of a 1/8” scale wood and acrylic model, which was displayed at the Kimball Art Center during the Sundance Film Festival in January 2012.  Special attention was paid to the historic neighborhood context of this coal mining town.  I also participated in the design process and provided critical diagrams describing the massing development and construction phasing process, which would enable the art center to remain in use throughout the renovation.

Brooks + Scarpa Architecture | Team Project | Winter 2011