A comprehensive site plan and building concept for transforming a natural geothermal hot springs resource into a $5 million health resort community on 120 acres of U.S. Forest Service land alongside Highway 58 in the Cascade Mountains east of Oakridge, Oregon.
For a long time, two natural hot springs straddling the snow-fed waters of Salt Creek were little known. As word spread, the pools became a popular roadside attraction. Uncontrolled use congested the roadway with vehicles, dirtied the pools, and polluted the area.
Intent on solving this problem, the Gaslight Corporation sought to develop the land in a way that both improved and preserved the hot springs for the long-term well-being of many people. Their aim was to generate revenue without compromising the site's natural integrity and beauty.
Their thesis was "healing with nature" rather than "roadside attraction."
Project success was measured by how well the proposal communicated the development's sacred and personal qualities to private investors in Japan and Europe. The result was an intricate, hand-drawn, colored site-plan proposal.
From top left to bottom right, the development distributed functional elements linearly along the creek and highway.
Resort Components
Campground
A campground by a natural pool along the river provided a low-cost option for visitors. A wooden suspension footbridge connected the campground to the south hot pools and chapel.
Gaslight Inn
A timber-frame main building, called the Gaslight Inn, defined the heart of the development. It had lofty ceilings and ample windows for daylight and axial views up and down the river. Its log construction, delicate metalwork, and stained glass supported the development's Civilian Conservation Corps construction theme.
The Inn was surrounded by two roadside hot pools, a restaurant, small shops, a restored covered bridge, a small theater, and a sports complex - all in character with the Inn and accessible from the main lodge.
The restaurant and pools provided safe, all-season public access to the river's edge.
Truck parking was visually hidden across the road from the lodge, and a covered bridge connected public-facing facilities with private facilities across the creek.
Lodges and Cabins
Guest lodgings across the creek, with private hot pools, were carefully placed among existing trees near two common hot pools. Accommodations ranged from one-room cabins to multi-room lodges for larger groups.
Chapel
An interdenominational outdoor chapel with a small council ring supported requirements for sanctuary and spiritual retreat.
Staff Lodging
Resort staff lodging was planned for the sunny upstream terrace landform to the east, around domestic functions such as food production, facilities maintenance, and horse stables.
Food Gardens
On-site culinary gardens and orchards provided fresh food for resort staff and the restaurant.
RV Park
The park on the east end was intended to attract the recreational-vehicle community with service hookups, laundry facilities, and a large outdoor council ring for socializing.
Maintenance Building
An all-season maintenance building and yard supported on-site repairs.
Native Plants Nursery
An on-site native plant nursery supported site improvements and retail sales.
Responsibilities
Developed in collaboration with designer William R. Higginson.
As project designer and delineator, responsibilities included field study, site analysis, building layout, landscape design, and site-plan development.
The role also included client meetings and site-analysis work. Completing the 3-foot by 12-foot illustrated site plan required 600 hours. A 2-foot by 3-foot perspective drawing illustrated activities and building details on the main lodge boardwalk.