Dance Arbor

Walking the forested site, listening to elders discuss the history of the arbor, feeling the vibe lighten as birds sang was the first amongst many steps in understanding the nature of this place. With grant funds in hand, the Pawnee Nation honored the request to revive the ceremonial dance arbor with upgraded durability and functionality. Sensing the strong desire for visible and acoustic connection to participants in the circle, the design team proposed eliminating an inner row of column supports. Working with our structural engineers, the design team proposed a single row of columns using welded connections to stretch shade forwards and to the rear, sheltering multiple rows of people without hindering visual connections from one side of the arena to the other.