Section 4: Site Development Concepts

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Duane Gilmore
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Section 4: Site Development Concepts The overarching project goal is to make the Dry Falls site the major regional hub for telling the Ice Age Floods Story.

To have that attraction power, it must be world class.

1 Section 4: Site Development Concepts The overarching project goal is to make the Dry Falls site the major regional hub for telling the Ice Age Floods Story. The seven-acre site should function as a hub, attracting a significant number of visitors who are coming specifically to this site to learn about and experience the IAF story. To have that attraction power, it must be world class. This is a desired goal of most interpretive efforts of any significance, but is particularly important for this site because it is so far removed from major interstate travel corridors, such as Interstate 90. Primary site design criteria established during the planning process were the following: Create strong interior/exterior connection Blend the new building and other site structures into the native landscape Use local and sustainable materials Identify view corridors and carefully locate new structures and site amenities Preserve the pristine/natural views Treat site as a blank canvas Create site opportunities for all ages to engage in activities together Move vehicles away from viewpoint Interpret both natural and cultural landscape Separate bus drop-off and large vehicle parking from main vehicular parking areas Create a progression of experiences from parking area Strategize a logical movement sequence from car out to site and Visitor Center Provide human comfort opportunities like shaded areas even though trees are not part of the native landscape Site Approach Approaching Site from South on Highway 17 Whether approaching the site from the north or south, currently, visitors arriving by vehicle suffer from a lack of clarity in their arrival sequence. Highway 17 improvements are insufficient for today s vehicles; signage is lacking, and vehicular circulation is mixed with pedestrians. From either direction, the existing visitor center, with its stark, white walls is the strongest indicator that the visitor has arrived at the site. Otherwise, highway signage which informs the traveler that the Center is close, is scarcely adequate. Driveway approaches into the parking area are not clearly indicated in advance along the highway corridor. Current parking improvements put drivers at risk and create conflicts with pedestrians. Developing site concepts that work with today s amenities will redefine the entry and building locations, and create safe and logical vehicular access and parking on the site. Decompression Zone Currently, the approach to the site lacks a clear decompression (separation in time and space), or transition zone which helps the visitor move through different environments. For example, from highway, to parking, to building, to overlook, a decompression zone is desirable attribute to help to move people emotionally from the rapid pace of a vehicle on a highway to the state of mind required for emotional connection to and immersion in the story. This is a challenge, due to the narrow width and limited extent of the space. The a goal in developing the new Visitor Center is that the building will function as a portal to the site to help facilitate decompression and transition to physical immersion in the natural environment. Site Organizational Diagram Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 23

Cultural and Native Landscapes The seven acre study area is comprised of approximately five acres of natural shrub-steppe planting with cobbly soils and mounded or depressed areas amidst basalt

2 Cultural and Native Landscapes The seven acre study area is comprised of approximately five acres of natural shrub-steppe planting with cobbly soils and mounded or depressed areas amidst basalt outcroppings. The remaining two acres includes building and site improvements amongst a maintained, cultural landscape. This includes introduced plant species used in park landscaping: lawn, deciduous trees, conifers and evergreen shrubs, including juniper. Preserving these resources reflects the mission of WSPRC and is a basic aspect of world class experiences focusing on significant cultural and natural features. Protecting the rim views and pedestrian access to the edge by moving the parking area away from the edge also protects the integrity of the depression-era work. Minimizing the building footprint of the new Visitor Center also protects native flora and fauna. Indoor-Outdoor Interface A major objective of the site development program is to create a seamless interface between the architecture and the landscape, allowing educational opportunities to extend from inside the building out into the natural environment, and vice versa. The themes communicated through interpretive opportunities in the building must be those that the visitor can see and make reference to in the outside environment. Interpretation at the Site Ice Age Floods Partial, but grand view of Dry Falls Cultural History Information about Depression-era work Information regarding native inhabitants and land use Natural History Information about native landscape Recognizing the beauty of the natural landscape Deciphering Clues in the Landscape Reading the geology of the site Effective Stewardship Protection of native vegetation Storm water management Utilize alternative energy sources Minimize maintained landscape areas Interpretive Trails A network of accessible trails connects the cultural landscape area to the native landscape area on the site. Meandering within natural topography and shrub-steppe vegetation, these trails will offer a variety of experiences throughout the site. Interpretive signs, displays, shelters and viewpoints at the edge will be incorporated at key locations. The trail system will allow for a variety of walk lengths to accommodate abilities from all user types, including those with disabilities. The interpretive opportunities provided along these trails will relate directly to the key interpretive themes supported by the visual features along the trails and communicated by the Dry Falls Visitor Center exhibits. Outdoor Gathering and Learning Given the strong focus of connecting visitors with the natural landscape, it was deemed important to develop a series of outdoor spaces that accommodated school groups, educational classes, and families desiring a place for extraordinary views. Numerous opportunities are planned to accomplish this objective, including an outdoor classroom/amphitheater and picnic area. Site Program Summary The new Dry Falls site program provides opportunities for a wide range of activities. From exploring the native landscape on a designated trail system, to finding your inner scientist through the interpretive exhibits, to picnicking with a view of Dry Falls, this program has something for everyone. The site program is shown in the plan on in the following page. 24 Dry Falls Visitor Center Area Design

3 Journey to the Edge - Site Development Concept Plan Site Program 1 Existing Depression Era Overlook 2 Existing Depression Era Gazebo 3 Picnic Area/Dog Walk 4 Earth Berm to Reduce Highway Noise 5 Interpretive Station 6 Entry Plaza/New Restroom 7 Interpretive Kiosk 8 Vehicular Parking (15 Spaces) 9 Bus Parking 10 Existing Rim Edge 11 Vehicular Parking (17 Spaces) 12 RV/Trailer Pull-Through Parking (7 Spaces) 13 Main Entry Plaza with Site Walls/Interpretive Panels 14 New Architecture-See Architecture Program 15 Outdoor Viewing Terraces 16 Vehicular Parking (16 Spaces) 17 Pedestrian Trails- Explore Connection to Sun Lakes 18 Site Entrance/Exit 19 Deceleration Lane 20 Left Turn Lane Off of Highway- Widen Highway 21 Entry Monument 22 Median/Native Landscape Island HIGHWAY 17 Approximate Right of Way (Existing) 4 8 Approximate Right of Way (Existing) HISTORIC LANDSCAPE (Shade Trees, Shrub & Lawn Areas) NATIVE LANDSCAPE (Natural Sagebrush Steppe Plant Communities) N ft Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 25

4 26 Dry Falls Visitor Center Area Design

Section 5: New Visitor Center Concepts The primary goal of the new Visitor Center is to facilitate a world class experience at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park that focuses on the story of the Ice Age

Building Site and Massing Building Materials To further highlight the landscape, blend the building into the site and subordinate the architecture, the structure of the building will be made of

The ceilings will be made from heavy timbers which will support flat roofs planted with native vegetation to further blend the building into the site.

5 Section 5: New Visitor Center Concepts The primary goal of the new Visitor Center is to facilitate a world class experience at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park that focuses on the story of the Ice Age Floods. To achieve that goal, the approach is to develop state-of-the-art exhibits and other opportunities within a facility that complements and highlights the beauty and drama of the landscape. Building Site and Massing Building Materials To further highlight the landscape, blend the building into the site and subordinate the architecture, the structure of the building will be made of materials native to the region. The walls will be clad in basalt stone that will extend from the shell, diminishing in height to recede into the landscape as low seat walls. The ceilings will be made from heavy timbers which will support flat roofs planted with native vegetation to further blend the building into the site. The new building will be on the southern end of the site, close to the location where the existing Visitor Center was originally intended to be. To elevate the significance of the landscape and diminish the presence of the building on the cliff edge, the building is set in a natural fold in the topography. This allows the building to be set into the landscape, reducing its apparent size as seen from both the highway and from the Sun lakes basin below. This position also provides separation from the noise of the highway, and with parking also moved to the highway side of the site, puts the building and the exhibits near the dramatic cliff edge. Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Building Entry - The Dalles, OR Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Building Exterior - The Dalles, OR Dry Falls Entry Sketch Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 27 27

Spatial Program Individual spaces have been organized to welcome visitors and then to entice them to move from one experience to another and then back out into the landscape.

Ample space is provided for school or other groups of visitors to organize.

The restrooms will have accessible stalls and more than double the number of existing fixtures.

6 Spatial Program Individual spaces have been organized to welcome visitors and then to entice them to move from one experience to another and then back out into the landscape. The experience begins at the entry. A terrace, partially shaded by a trellis, welcomes visitors from the parking area and leads them to the main entrance. Ample space is provided for school or other groups of visitors to organize. Restrooms are available at the edge of this terrace prior to entering the building, so that they can be open even if the interpretive portion of the building is closed. The restrooms will have accessible stalls and more than double the number of existing fixtures. From the entry terrace, visitors enter a gallery that serves as the orientation hub for all the other spaces. Staff greet the visitors and provide information at a central location in the gallery. At the end of the space, a view opens up directly into the center of Dry Falls. Past the information counter, a retail space opens off of the gallery to the right, with café seating and display areas for merchandise. This space opens onto an outdoor terrace with more seating and views east to the falls and south into the Sun Lakes basin and the downriver course of the floods. The store and café have the potential to be served by the same staff person managing the information counter. A room directly behind the counter provides storage space. On the other side of the gallery, View of Dry Falls - Similar to future terrace Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Building Interior - The Dalles, OR Interior Rendering 28 Dry Falls Visitor Center Area Design

an immersive theater directly adjacent to the entrance lures visitors in. This theater could accommodate as many as 60 people at a time and would have moveable seating to allow for other uses.

The outdoor classroom is screened from the wind and noise of the highway by the building. A natural stone amphitheater provides informal seating.

7 an immersive theater directly adjacent to the entrance lures visitors in. This theater could accommodate as many as 60 people at a time and would have moveable seating to allow for other uses. From the theater, people exit into the main exhibit hall. The end of the exhibit hall is completely open to an outdoor classroom with a view of the falls, enticing visitors out into the site. The outdoor classroom is screened from the wind and noise of the highway by the building. A natural stone amphitheater provides informal seating. From here, paths lead out to the edge of the cliff and the rest of the on-site experience. An alternative was explored to provide access on the roof of the facility to a viewing terrace. This option provides a different view of the Sun Lakes basin and falls than what is seen from ground level. However, it requires adding an elevator and stair, which would extend 14 feet above the roof of the building. This is contrary to the goal of diminishing the presence of the architecture in order to highlight the landscape and is not advised. Gallery 2,250 Exhibit Hall 2,300 Theater 1,600 Restrooms 1,850 Retail 1,500 Cafe/Terrace 1,000 Office 250 Mechanical & Storage 250 Total 11,000 NSF (Net Square Feet) Sustainable Design The new Visitor Center will be energy-efficient, healthy, and environmentally sensitive. Some of the strategies that will be employed include, but are not limited to high efficiency HVAC equipment to condition the interior environment, operable clerestory windows in the gallery to provide supplemental natural ventilation to the mechanical system, green roofs over the majority of the building to improve energy performance and reduce storm water runoff, energy efficient lighting and controls to reduce demand for electricity, and a wood structure that will be sustainably harvested and Forest Stewardship Council certified. Additionally, the building is designed to be earth-sheltered; cradling the structure with earth and stone provides natural, thermal regulation. Native basalt stone is proposed for the walls of the building and site. The rich appearance of the walls is matched by their durability and ability to moderate the internal temperature of the building, thereby reducing energy use. The facility will be designed to achieve a minimum LEED certification level of Silver. Vegetated Rooftop Clerestory Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 29

8 30 Dry Falls Visitor Center Area Design

Section 6: Interpretive Exhibit Concepts Current Audiences The interpretive planning on this project has strong foundations that have been developed by Washington State Parks, Ice Age Floods

9 Section 6: Interpretive Exhibit Concepts Current Audiences The interpretive planning on this project has strong foundations that have been developed by Washington State Parks, Ice Age Floods Institute, interpretive planners and others over a number of years. This continued and comprehensive effort includes documents such as the 2006 IMPIAF and has served as the foundation for all subsequent planning. Visitation to Dry Falls Visitor Center has been informally monitored by Washington State Parks staff over the years. These staff observations have provided a solid understanding of the types of audiences who currently use the facility. The Visitor Center is a popular place for a variety of audiences, from tourists to truckers. Park visitation is estimated to be 50,000 to 60,000 each year. Most visitors arrive from the south (from I-90) in their own vehicles between Memorial Day and Labor Day. During the Spring and Summer months, the Dry Falls receives more than 1,000 visitors per day, making the current Visitor Center very crowded. There are as many ways to describe these visitors as there are visitors themselves. In this section of the document, audiences are categorized according to the types of visitors as described by Washington State Parks staff. Audience categories here can also be divided into the categories found in the Target Audiences description found in Section 2 of this document. Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 31

What will Success Look Like? Measuring Success During the November 2008 visioning workshop in East Wenatchee, participants were asked how they would measure success at a new Visitor Center.

10 What will Success Look Like? Measuring Success During the November 2008 visioning workshop in East Wenatchee, participants were asked how they would measure success at a new Visitor Center. The participants determined that the new Visitor Center must achieve the following goals to succeed: The New Visitor Center Must Raise Awareness of Dry Falls / State Parks / Ice Age Flood Corridor Create a strong identity and brand for Dry Falls Realize there is something there Become a destination, instead of a stop on the road Awareness as a National Natural Landmark Awareness of State Parks and a general appreciation of the organization s services The New Visitor Center Must Increase Visitation at Dry Falls and on the Ice Age Floods Corridor Dry Falls Visitor Center Attract more visitors Attract more repeat visitors Get visitors out of their cars Attract more organized tours Attract more diverse audiences (ages) Attract more audiences to the Scenic Byway Attract repeat visitors through changing exhibits Increase amount of time visitors spend at the site Ice Age Flood Corridor Increased success at Dry Falls breeds success at other centers Encourage visitors to spend more time on the corridor Stimulate and encourage visits to other sites and institutions 32 Dry Falls Visitor Center Area Design

The New Visitor Center Must Improve Visitor Experience Welcome all visitors even if their faith precludes them from endorsing the scientific time frame Provide a Wow experience relate to others

11 The New Visitor Center Must Improve Visitor Experience Welcome all visitors even if their faith precludes them from endorsing the scientific time frame Provide a Wow experience relate to others Create a memorable visitor experience Provide more opportunities for children in Center Encourage visitors to see the world differently Create curiosity Encourage people to explore, debate, learn Personalize visitors experience Create exhibits that evolve Facilitate first person interactions Include active, rather than passive, experiences Make connections for kids yesterday, today, tomorrow blending the story together so it makes sense Increase knowledge of cultural and natural diversity, and stewardship The New Visitor Center Must Build Understanding of the Flood Provide good representation of IAF regi through topographic mapping Provide general understanding of Ice Age floods and Dry Falls specifically Stimulate interest in earth sciences, specifically climate change Convey magnitude and uniqueness of the site Help visitors realize story isn t completely known or understood The New Visitor Center Must Create Emotional Connection Evoke emotion and understanding of landscape to encourage return visits The New Visitor Center Must Improve Visitor Amenities & Accessibility Provide clean, adequate restrooms Encourage safety Provide ADA access The New Visitor Center Must Build Strong Partnerships Collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce to promote the services the Center provides Educate visitors of the partnerships in progress - it is already successful with partnering among government, non-profits and other local groups Create ease in interactions between sites and organizations Encourage full participation in the entire IAF trail - create marketing materials in conjunction with each other Be selected as a project to qualify for federal funding Involve the community Increase community involvement The New Visitor Center Must Be Economically Sustainable Increase sales in shop Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 33

Interpretive Conceptual Approach During the visioning workshop all workshop participants worked together to

They determined that a range of types of interpretive experiences should be provided.

Hands-on geology Meet and/or discover your inner scientist Follow the paths of the floods Explore the local

12 Interpretive Conceptual Approach During the visioning workshop all workshop participants worked together to determine what type of interpretation they would like to see in the new Visitor Center. They determined that a range of types of interpretive experiences should be provided. Types of Interpretive Experiences to be Provided at the New Visitor Center Hands-on science Hands-on physics Hands-on geology Meet and/or discover your inner scientist Follow the paths of the floods Explore the local landscape Connect people to the flood sites in Sun Lakes-Dry Falls Park and beyond Experience the floods Cultivate a cultural legacy of the floods 34 Dry Falls Visitor Center Area Design

Conceptual Organization The diagram shows the conceptual organization of the interpretive areas of the new Dry Falls Visitor Center and site.

13 Conceptual Organization The diagram shows the conceptual organization of the interpretive areas of the new Dry Falls Visitor Center and site. These conceptual exhibit plans have been developed in coordination with the architecture and landscape architecture, and with key site features in mind. Cultural Landscape Depression-Era Structures Interpret the View Trails Parking Theater Native Landscape New Visitor Center Building Highway Trails Welcome Shop Interpretive Gallery Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 35

14 Content Approach The Big Idea The big idea is the central and most important idea that is being interpreted. It is similar to the angle of a story in that it provides a perspective from which to approach the content. Interpretive Ideas There are hierarchies to any thematic content structure. Under the overall big idea, additional interpretive ideas can be used for particular exhibit areas or as a thread that will be woven through all the interpretation, or both. Deciphering Clues that Reveal the Past Interpreting the geological record and cultural artifacts Discovering how past events have shaped our world Understanding global climate change past, present and future Understanding the change we see in the world around us. Becoming Effective Stewards of our World Protecting and conserving cultural, historical, and natural sites 36 Dry Falls Visitor Center Area Design

Courthouse Square Planning & Urban Design Study. Courthouse Square Working Group #13 October 15, 2014

Courthouse Square Planning & Urban Design Study Courthouse Square Working Group #13 October 15, 2014 1 Courthouse Square Process Working Group Community Courthouse Square Advisory Groups & Civic Associations