Idaho State Parks & Recreation
Idaho’s Lake Cascades State Park, situated north of Boise in the Boise National Forest, offers seasonal activities year-round to over 300,000 recreational enthusiasts. To enhance the park experience, Tamarack Grove Engineering (TGE) provided essential engineering for the park’s first visitor center.
Challenge
The 3,000 SF Lake Cascades State Visitor Center, situated in the high mountains of Boise National Forest, was envisioned to accommodate multiple functions while seamlessly integrating with the harsh environment. The TGE structural design team faced several challenges including:
Designing for heavy snow loads and inclement weather affecting nearly half the year
Ensuring safety, accessibility, and operational efficiency
Addressing foundational issues that impacted the aesthetic
Limited materials suitable for the setting
Solution
Despite the functional focus of the center, aesthetics remained a key consideration of the facility. And the location of the park in a high mountain area necessitated designing all structures to withstand 150 pounds per square foot snow load. Cantilevered roofs, designed to shed falling snow and mitigate snow accumulation at ground level, featured unique detailing solutions including concealed strapping and hangars. At the entrance, the main glass doors are flanked by a large expanse of glass accented with wood beams and allow zero deflection to avoid damage, even when experiencing vast snow loads.
The climate range from sub-zero to 100+ degrees required a strategic mix of differing materials including timber, steel, and concrete in often unconventional ways. Materials with proven longevity, durability, and less maintenance requirements were specified including board-formed concrete which provides both strength and a nice appearance. Metal roofing allowed the team to tie exposed timber elements into the design, reflecting the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. To combat material degradation from snow-caused moisture, the team specified timber support columns clad with concrete on the lower portions. Metal roofing was chosen to complement the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape while integrating exposed timber elements.
The visitor center and its informational hub is open 24/7, although it's only staffed during park hours. To separate public and private areas, TGE designed an innovative floating gate system tied to the exposed timbers that safely and securely limited access but did not compromise the look.
The dedicated TGE team visited the remote location during construction to provide guidance and ensure the first visitor center in the park was delivered to The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation on schedule.
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