Amphitheatre Imago (2023)
Henry McCoy took the pictures.
Caleb Seney, Executive Director of MedCamps:Going back to our master plan, we decided that an amphitheater should be built to accommodate opening and closing camp festivities, and that construction on the western side of the camp should proceed. A secret cove on the lake was chosen by the Arch335 students as the ideal location for a calm and relaxing environment. These days, Imago is utilized for end-of-camp ceremonies and talent performances when the weather permits, and on Sunday nights, people make smores in the enormous fire pit above the water. Because of Imago’s location, a new bridge walkway over a swamp had to be constructed. The Imago is a fantastic way to get away from the rest of the camp because it is not visible from either of the highways that run alongside it. Before our midnight pool celebration begins, the campers spend Sunday evenings creating smores and getting to know their staff and one another.
Tech Professor Brad Deal: With 15 specially designed twisting triangular space frame trusses, this was our most sculpture-like creation. The student team in our metal shop on the south campus developed them using parametric software and then manually produced them. We managed to complete the laborious and intricate task.In addition, it was Robert’s final project and the final significant step in implementing his ambitious master plan notion to finish the circuit of activities around the lake. A legacy of inspiration to be remembered.
Program Overview: A new path network and amphitheater for a special needs summer camp.
Program Statement: The goal of the design project was to establish a venue for ceremonies, talent shows, and other activities that commemorate the age-old summer camp custom. In order to avoid seeing or hearing the surrounding roadway, the project nestles into a forested cove and optimizes the views over the lake. The project’s programming requirements and the users’ characteristics resulted in a transformation-focused concept. These campers are transformed and encouraged to become more capable versions of themselves by the courage needed to leave home for the first time without their parents or to perform their abilities on stage. We sought an expressive roof that appears to change as one gets closer in order to commemorate these occasions. In the end, it portrays the scene where a butterfly emerges from its cocoon, known as Imago. Simplicity and adaptability are given priority in the asymmetrical layout and radial seating. A lowered guardrail makes for a perfect fishing place, and a wall of firewood borders the entrance and feeds the bonfire at the stage’s edge. Reclaimed steel from the oil and gas sector is used to create the whimsical steel roof structure. The twisting trusses that enable the roof’s design to change from white to red were constructed using nearly a mile of material. In addition to serving as a distinctive beacon across the lake and enhancing the magic and memory of this rare location, the illuminated red roof at night radiates inside the camp, reminding campers of their stay there.
Team for the Project:
Instructors: Brad Deal and Robert Brooks
Annie Boothe, Zack Dicharry, Logan Jacobs, Alex Klocek, Asher Little, Amber McMillan, Kaylyn Murphy, Ashley Putman, Wanda Ryba, Christian Salazar, Joanna Vittitow, Emma Wyatt, Alfredo Avendano, Ashanti Bell, Jude Bell, Noah Berryhill, and Anna Boothe
Acknowledgment: Member’s Choice Award and 2023 AIA Louisiana Honor Award
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