Chinati Discovery Center

2024 · Chinati Mountains, Texas

A visitor center and timber folly workshop set into the park’s landscape. Expanding on the expectations from a state park. Visitor Center & Discovery Follies Instructor: Iroha Ito Type: Core Studio Fall 2024 What should a state park provide in the modern day? How can a park center change the perception of the park itself? How can the visitors be a part of the development? The project speculates on these opportunities as the Chinati Mountain region of Texas is currently scheduled for completion of a state park by 2028. In response, an open air facility complemented by a series of temporary follies, discovery trails, workshops, supportive infrastructure, built using only the materials of the land, and open to public participation is proposed. The program expands beyond what is expected, including a workshop dedicated to designing and constructing additional follies, dining area, community gathering space, and a long, linear exhibition corridor connecting these key areas. The interplay between outdoor and indoor spaces creates a dynamic experience of compression and expansion, guiding visitors through a journey that transitions between open vistas and sheltered interiors. This design strategy not only minimizes environmental impact but also offers a place of refuge for hikers returning from the trails, emphasizing both functionality and a deep connection to the landscape. The proposal included a yearly build fest where participants construct temporary timber follies along the discovery trails. Each folly is assembled from a kit of standardized timber lengths, and open to all levels of construction experience. Once built, the follies serve as resting points, framed viewpoints, observation decks, tent platforms, and emergency shelters. Each year’s festival adds new structures, so the trail network grows through the people who use it. Above ground, unfinished timber construction invites visitors into communal and workshop spaces. In contrast, essential services such as a clinic, information desk, restrooms, and kitchen are embedded within the hillside, with vertical openings framing views from above.