Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center

Stevenson, Washington

How do we reflect the natural and cultural history of the Columbia River Gorge in a building?

A large, glass-walled interpretive center, lit from within at dusk

Hugging a hillside with panoramic views of the Columbia Gorge, the Interpretive Center exhibits the natural and cultural history of the region.  The building was designed as part of the interpretive message and works with the exhibits as visitors explore the wonders of the Gorge.

The Interpretive Center is composed of two adjoining barrel-vaulted glass pavilions, resembling in scale the sawmills that once stood on the site in the early 20th century. Visitors enter through a portico reminiscent of railroad trestles in the area. A sculpted concrete wall, suggesting the basalt flows of the Gorge, moves into the Interpretive Center at the entrance and winds its way through the exhibit spaces. The wall runs the entire length of the building providing context and organizing elements of the interpretive message.

Year Completed:
1994
Size:
24,000 sf
Recognitions:

Northwest & Pacific Region AIA, Grand Award

Portland Chapter AIA, Award of Excellence

The entry and main lobby of a large interpretive center
Entry Sequence
A catwalk in a museum along a large, windowed wall
Across the Catwalk
A stairway leading down to the first floor of a large museum
Stone and Stairways
A reception desk in the lobby of an interpretive center
Reception
A pen and ink rendering of a large, glass building perched on a hill
Exterior Perspective Sketch from 1993
A sketch of the interior exhibits at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center
Interior Experiential View

REFLECTIONS OF THE GORGE

Located on a 70-acre site near the center of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, this simple, welcoming museum is dedicated to exhibiting the natural and cultural history of the region with honest materiality and openness to the landscape.