Guthrie Visitor Center

Guthrie, Oklahoma has a rich architectural association with brick. The historic downtown is nationally recognized and frequently used as a filming location. City officials expressed concern with new developments, which did not use brick and felt Guthrie's identity was degrading. My proposal strives to harness the power of "the spectacle" to create a new identifiable symbol for Guthrie. Brick is used in mass construction, highlighting it as a modern material. The formal strategy is meant to show off the capabilities of brick and make people excited about it again. In this same vain, the WORLDS LARGEST BRICK is planned to be built, contributing to the running list of quirky roadside attractions in Oklahoma (such as the whale). A hot hair balloon is also utilized to bring in local tourism and provide different views of the town. Tall formal structures are strategically used to create a wayfinding principle for the site, resulting in an iconic visual that can be easily spotted from the nearby interstate 35.