Youngmeyer

Elk County, KS, United States

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Youngmeyer

Elk County, KS, United States

Firm

Brad Feinknopf
Feinknopf Photography

Type

Educational › University Other

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2022

SIZE

3000 sqft - 5000 sqft

The Youngmeyer Ranch includes nearly 4,700 acres of the Flint Hills, the last remaining tallgrass prairie in the U.S. The property is an active cattle ranch and a field research site for Wichita State University, used by multiple departments for study of plants, animals, soils, and waterways. The Youngmeyer Field Station provides 3,400 SF of meeting space, laboratory, and living quarters for six researchers. The facility is completely off-grid, with no connection to public or rural utilities. Primary power is generated and water is collected right on site.

This project’s location and function demand both integration with the natural environment and fortitude to withstand natural forces. Form, materials, and interior details are inspired by the stratified stone underneath the Flint Hills and other natural marvels that can be observed from the building. Like the dugouts of the Midwestern frontier days, the field station is partially embedded in the earth to protect the facility from northern winds and further the contextual camouflage. The building’s form folds towards the eastern views of the sunrise and the water, opening the main gathering space to the panoramic scenery.