Forest Threshold
Spring 2024 Wood Studio
As part of an Ecological Design course, our studio was tasked with creating a trailhead at the Connecticut Forest and Parks association headquarters.
Marking a threshold between the parking lot along a busy highway and the serene natural trails of Highlawn Forest, the design was developed through multiple iterations and ultimately chosen by the CFPA.
Early Iterations
This proposal and model was for the final round of group designs. The structure consists of two separate triangles with a circular cutout through the center, creating a gate at the correct angle.
Slats limit sight-lines depending on distance to the gate, aimed to define a specific opening at the forest threshold along the trail.
Construction Process
The structure was built from red and white oak trees which had recently fallen at the site, and the chosen design focused on welcoming visitors by highlighting the elements of the tree in the wood–most significantly the live edge bark beams overhead.
The design creates an intermediate space between the developed human environment and nature, to allow hikers to contemplate the transition from everyday life into this preserved forest.
FINAL Structure
Alexander Rubenstein 