Jackson Lake Lodge
When it opened in 1955, the Jackson Lake Lodge successfully altered the public’s perception on what constituted an appropriate setting for modernist architecture. Architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood’s visionary design expertly combined elements of the existing National Park Service’s rustic buildings portfolio with the increasingly popular modernist aesthetic of bold forms and clean lines.
The result was a 3-story cast-in-place concrete structure that was both striking and complimentary with its surroundings in the Grand Teton National Park. In the fall of 2022, a multi-year effort to repair the intricately crafted exterior façade of the National Historic Landmark building concluded, restoring this modernist gem back to its original appearance.
The Lodge is notable for its concrete finish surface known as “Shadowood”, the result of concrete poured into forms lined with sandblasted plywood to highlight the natural woodgrain. The surface was subsequently acid stained to further enhance the appearance of wood. Shadowood had been used previously in other NPS lodge structures to give a more natural appearance to large concrete beams, but this was the first time it had been implemented so extensively, comprising the entirety of the façade.
By 2020, the climate extremes in Jackson Hole had taken their toll on the concrete, causing localized areas of steel corrosion and concrete spalling. Most notably, the exposed, stained concrete surface had been covered with an opaque brown paint. Nurture was tasked with developing a comprehensive repair and restoration program that included the repair and refinishing of 100% of the exterior concrete surfaces, a complete roof replacement, and recoating of the expansive promenade deck over the entry porte cochere.
The careful attention by the project team and cooperative coordination efforts led to the uniform and cohesive historic appearance of the Lodge. The Jackson Lake Lodge can now be appreciated as it was originally intended by the vast number of Grand Teton National Park visitors every year.
