Demarcating the northern entrance to Jackson, Wyoming’s historic downtown, the Home Ranch Welcome Center serves as a community hub for both residents and visitors alike. A forest of log columns introduce visitors to an interactive display that informs and educates on the natural splendor that Jackson, Wyoming is uniquely centered within.
These columns support a large canted roof with glass clerestory that tilts up to the southern light and the omnipresent backdrop of downtown Jackson, Snow King Mountain. Dappled light fills the space, created by the carefully placed screens that wrap the glass curtain walls and log columns of the main hall.
Integrated into the metal sunscreens on the southern and western walls are glass bricks that represent the art installation called “Strands,” the first publicly funded art project produced by the Jackson Hole Public Art Initiative. The colors in the glass bricks are pattered to replicate the portions of DNA that make bison and bears genetically distinct.
The building replaces an existing well-worn public restroom facility and updates this function with a robust material palette to provide increased longevity. A LEED Gold rating has been received in accordance with the Town’s sustainability initiative. Directly adjacent to the primary parking lot for visitors arriving from points north to experience downtown Jackson, the Home Ranch Center also serves as a transportation hub for the valley’s public transit service.
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