Challenge

The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) selected Bartlett & West to design a new structure and update outdoor amenities at the Oriska Rest Area.

Solution

The building is designed to evoke the character of a hunting lodge using such materials as stone, wood siding and paneling and the steep sloped timber roof. Large areas of glass in the lobby provide a welcoming presence and improve security. An exterior courtyard is formed by the lobby and picnic shelters acting as enclosing elements. The courtyard pavement features a concrete graphic diagram of the Northern Flyway. The project also involves outdoor area landscaping and changes to the parking lot and ramps such as the addition of more truck parking spots, updating the interstate entrance and exit ramps and a new surface for the parking lot.

Value

The layout of the site will be much more efficient for travelers and the structure, now embodying some of the unique characteristics of North Dakota, lets visitors experience pieces of the state’s culture and ecosystem. NDDOT and ND Tourism were worked with to develop a design narrative linked to the regional significance of the Central Flyway, making it a destination for some of the best waterfowl hunting in the country.