The Pavilion Project is an original artwork commissioned by Jackson Hole Public Art with support from the Center for the Arts, Jackson businesses, and private donors. The 2018 project resulted in creating a place of community engagement and a venue for artistic expression located in the heart of downtown Jackson in The Center Park. Part of the Center’s Creative in Residence Program, the concept was to create a gathering place that in itself was a sculptural art piece. This would in turn be used in a variety of ways — both formal and spontaneous, and always open to the public — in pursuit of artistic experiences in the open air.
The Center’s call for designs attracted ten proposals from throughout the valley’s artistic community; a blind submission process assured that the winning proposal would be selected solely on its merits. CLB was granted the project on the strength of the form and function of its design, Town Enclosure.
Town Enclosure is a circular array of cross-laminated timber wall panels erected vertically and spaced to invite exploration. From a distance, the composition speaks to the surrounding mountains, engages passing drivers and pedestrians and adds sculptural interest to the flat park lawn. Its form is derived from symbols of placemaking in the Mountain West, such as fences and corrals, as well as iconic landmarks like the West Buttress of the Grand Teton. Its simultaneous transparency and opaqueness create layers of interpretation, lending depth and complexity to an otherwise simple form. True engagement happens as one moves around and within the panels. Intended as a performance and exhibition space for community artist and groups, it acts as an armature for creative discovery.
After two years in Jackson, Town Enclosure found a new home in Bozeman’s Story Mill Community Park. During its Jackson residency, the sculpture won several national awards and was featured in numerous publications. Called “a pavilion of possibilities,” the armature welcomed dancers, hosted playwrights, poets, and musical performances. We are thrilled to see this project live on and provide a stage for creative opportunities within a new community.