The goal of this project was to replace an existing rest area located on Interstate 75 just north of Wapakoneta, Ohio. Wapakoneta is largely agricultural with a percentage of its population working in manufacturing. Neil Armstrong, the first man to step foot on the moon, was raised here and a museum in his honor is located along the interstate about six miles south.
In this project I tried to capture attitudes and traditions of the area, melding them in a form at once recognizable but new. Mound building occurred in several cultures throughout history with several remaining in Ohio to this day. The mound is of all cultures but specific to none. By melding this indigenous constructed form with the bunker of a NASA launch site I hoped to create a compelling way-station for travelers.
Dematerializing the mound resulted in a glass structure shrouded in louvered slats. Glu-lam supports recall the adjacent forest and provide sufficient structural support for the Corten steel louvers. My vision is that the steel will rust gracefully in hues reminiscent of fall foliage or an abandoned shack.
