Heritage Welcome Center

Location: Park City, Kentucky

The synergy of Park City, Mammoth Caves, and Highway 31W Heritage Corridor provides a relevant point of departure for the design process. The historical significance of various regional transportation routes generated the concept of a pedestrian corridor that organizes both the program and circulation. The building is elevated above the hillside to avoid extensive excavation and disruption of the landscape.

Continuity of the landscape and reference to local resources and traditions inform the material palette and formal language of the design. The stratified organization of the program suggests the procession of the descending into a cave while the field of steel columns emulates the surround forest. Limestone, wood, and concrete surfaces are used in reference to both the local caves ad vernacular forms. The application of indigenous resources allows the Heritage Welcome Center to promote local business and preserve the rich heritage of the region.