Outpost

From Towrs

Press Release

Set in the remote, high desert landscape of Idaho, Outpost is a studio/workshop and sculpture garden for making and displaying art. One important aspect of the complex is the protected “paradise garden,” which is separated from the wild landscape by concrete block walls. The materials used in the structure, including concrete, car-decking, and plywood, require little or no maintenance, and are capable of withstanding the extreme weather that characterize the desert’s four seasons.

Tom Kundig was the lead architect for Outpost. Steven Rainville was project manager, and Kirsten Murray and Gladys Ly-Au Young were staff architects.

The Jury wrote of Outpost: “The language for this project is simple and well executed, but what sets it apart is its willingness to take on more than being an object. Rather than yielding to a natural temptation to engage too much with the amazing outdoor expanse, the design capture and limits outdoor space and transforms it as a landscape. Despite its small footprint, the projects takes and transforms territory, beyond the boundaries of traditional architecture. The long, linear response, expected in an urban lot, gains strength from its unexpected deployment in the open landscape. The designer deals simply with surface and space, rather than focusing on lines and planes.”