Place of Origin: Searching for a Current Vernacular for the St. Croix River Valley

Abstract

Cultures entrench themselves in the environment. Their histories are defined by it and their people are at one with it. Current architecture at times is so universally tuned out of unique regional qualities that it begs the question about regionalism and its place today. Understanding a region is best done on its own specific terms, which is why it’s paramount, in all aspects of design from development to construction, to integrate region into a built work. This thesis attempts to incorporate present-day design construction and insight into an interpretation center based on it’s natural and historically rich setting.