ANTELOPE PIER CHLOE KISELA // ARC 601 // FALL 2023 / ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Antelope Pier is a temporary vacationing community located on the west bank of Lake Powell near Page, Arizona. The community is situated on Antelope Island and is connected to the mainland of Antelope Point via a new bridge construction. The community sits directly on the edge of the lake and is unique in that it offers visitors an opportunity to vacation in close proximity to water within a desert environment. Antelope Pier seeks to function as an oasis in the desert, not only providing shelter and sustenance to all those who come into contact with it, but allowing them the chance to deepen their site-specific knowledge and experiences. As visitors explore the larger Glen Canyon area, Antelope Pier will act as their anchor point, reminding them of the site’s innate connection to water and the life-giving properities it bestows. The community, which has been designed via a mat typology, consists of three built levels or “mats” which feature a variety of housing options spread throughout the complex. These individual units are situated on both the upper and lower levels of each mat, with the upper units being accessible via each mat’s communal center. There are a total of forty housing units available to book, each able to comfortably accommodate up to two people. A large central stair and ramp connect the lowest and highest levels of the complex, and a vast amount of space for low-growing gardens is available in between. There are additional gardens and seating areas located between housing units as well as along the Antelope Pier Bridge. Perhaps the most visually prominent aspect of the design is the angled roof form, whose undulating nature echos that of the water of the lake and the structure of which is separate from the structure of the modules, which creates a sort of “floating” effect. The goal of the complex is to allow the increasing number of visitors to the area to have a closer connection to the water during their stay in this dry, arid climate. Visitors will also have abundant options to learn about the ecology of the site as well as the cultures of the people who live in the area - specifically, the Navajo. Programmatic opportunities for cultural and ecological engagement are located within the three communal centers and include the crafting, selling, and exhibiting of local goods as well as dining and the selling of local food. There is one large communal center on each mat, with the primary communal center being located on the western mat.
Post-digital perspective rendering: main stair and ramp at the entrance of Antelope Pier
A variety of sustainable materials have been incorporated into the complex - most notably, rammed earth walls and cross-laminated timber. Active and passive sustainable strategies that have been implemented in the design include rooftop solar panels, a geothermal heat pump loop within the lake, radiant floors, thermal walls, rainwater collection, shading, and cross ventilation. Among others, the building explores concepts of permeability, fragmentation, transition, hierarchy, and layering. We hope you enjoy your stay at Antelope Pier!
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