Location : Driggs , Idaho – Teton Mountain Range

Project Concept : There is a dialectic pairing between People and Natural Boulders. What types of spaces are created when Boulders are concentrated within a landscape? What type of community is created when People come together? The project title ‘Gather’ celebrates these relationships. The project develops a new, yet familiar, space in the heart of a mountain town to support community identity and stand out as a sculptural beacon when not in use.

Project Description : The installation of three permanent sculpture pieces in downtown Driggs, Idaho.

Values : Community Character , Natural Bio-degradable Material.

Key Team : Sculptor Natalie Clark , Mike Kopp Welding .

Project Support : Blue Cross of Idaho supported Gather, as means of promoting community and mental health.

Project Recognition :

– Design With Care , Article by Jackson News & Guide.

– New Sculpture Unveiled, Article by Teton Valley News.

– Project Selected Feature on Architizer.

– Featured on Public Art Archive.

Project Form and Concept : Idaho, known as the Gem State, earns its name from the remarkable natural beauty and mineral wealth found within its rugged landscapes. From the shimmering waters of alpine lakes to the jagged mountain peaks rich in deposits of precious stones, Idaho’s treasures are both geological and ecological.

– Cork Panel is 100% Bidegradable and Carbon Negative, offsetting project carbon footprint. Cork trees are not cut, but stripped bark and re-harvested seasonally.

– Cork Panel is composed of a natural binder, requires no sealer, and has zero maintenance over the course of the project’s life cycle. It’s also durable, capable of withstanding extreme temperature ranges.

– Cork has acoustic and insulation properties. The insulation panel (R-5.3) used prevents the steel panel from overheating, allowing a safe and comfortable shelter area.

Project Model : Physical models are a critical part of the design process to understand space and form more intuitively. Holding a model allows you to see proportions, depth, and relationships between elements from multiple angles. Unlike quick and messy physical models, I use final study models at the end of the design process to fine tune aesthetics, that aren’t obvious in drawings or 3D computer software. Finally, refined models serve as a bridge between concept and construction.

Fabrication : Construction drawings and physical models were provided to Mike Kopp for steel fabrication. Sculptor Natalie Clark and I would meet to understand progress. The cork panels were installed by Natalie Clark and I, prior to the sculptures being delivered to the final site location.