Youngmeyer Field Station / Hutton

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Text description provided by the architects.Tallgrass prairie once covered over 150 million acres of North America. Today, less than 4% of this unique ecosystem remains, with the majority being in the Kansas Flint Hills. The subsurface of the Flint Hills was formed over 250 million years ago and is composed primarily of distinct layers of limestone and shale. Shallow, rocky soils made the land mostly unsuitable for farming and challenging for development, effectively preserving the natural state of the tallgrass ecosystem, its unique wildlife, and its characteristic expansive, rolling views in perpetuity.To protect against wind and wildfire, the entire structure – including the roof – is cast-in-place concrete, clad with a palette of only durable, noncombustible exterior materials: concrete, limestone, and glazing systems. “Being a good neighbor" in the Flint Hills requires minimizing any impact on natural views, so keeping a clean roof line was a top priority. To maintain a discrete profile, the reaching cantilevered concrete roof tapers at the edge, all but disappearing when viewed from the closest neighboring property a few miles down the road.The Youngmeyer Ranch includes nearly 4,700 acres of the Flint Hills. Today, the property is an active cattle ranch and a field research site for Wichita State University, used by multiple departments for study of plants, animals, soils, and waterways. The Youngmeyer Field Station provides 3,400 SF of meeting space, laboratory, and living quarters for six researchers. The facility is completely off-grid, with no connection to public or rural utilities. Primary power is generated and water is collected right on site.Interior finish materials are all natural tones, organized in patterns to evoke layers of sediment, heads of grain, or even the night sky. Four varieties of limestone wrap the exterior and sneak inside in stratified bands, emulating the subterranean layers of sediment that sit below and peek out of the surrounding hillsides. One stone variety – Prairie Shell – includes (as the name suggests) many fossilized shells that tell the story of a prehistoric era. Visitors can take a scavenger hunt around the building for fossils preserved and on display in the walls, including a perfect nautilus right by the front door.This project’s location and function demand both integration with the natural environment and fortitude to withstand natural forces. Form, materials, and interior details are inspired by the stratified stone underneath the Flint Hills and other natural marvels that can be observed from the building. Like the dugouts of the Midwestern frontier days, the field station is partially embedded in the earth to protect the facility from northern winds and further the contextual camouflage. The building’s form folds towards the eastern views of the sunrise and the water, opening the main gathering space to the panoramic scenery.