Saunders Architecture has completed the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, a remote visitor centre atop Lookout Mountain in northern Maine, USA. The 7,900 square-foot centre celebrates the region’s Indigenous peoples and serves as a welcome centre for the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
The cedar-clad building features volumes that cantilever from a central nexus, with deep windows punctuating curved walls to frame views of the forest. The design was developed in consultation with a Wabanaki advisory board. “Katahdin is a culturally significant place to the Wabanaki people, where connecting watersheds provide important travel routes for Wabanaki people of Maine,” said the centre’s team.
The interior is lined with Douglas fir and features commissioned works from local Indigenous artists. Exhibits introduce visitors to the area’s geography and Wabanaki culture and traditions. The building’s main wings are aligned with the four cardinal directions, offering views over the landscape and creating an interplay of light throughout the day. “As singular as its surroundings, Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is a work of collaborative design and construction, intentionally imbued with Wabanaki knowledge,” said the team.
The Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument was created by Roxanne Quimby, who donated 87,563 acres to the American people in 2016. The monument is now managed by the National Park Service and is a designated International Dark Sky Sanctuary.
Image Courtesy: Dezeen
