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Cottonwood Canyon Experience Center
Submitting Company: Tapani Inc.

Location: Wasco
Cost: $2,789,965
Start Date: February 2018
Completion Date: June 2019
Owner/Developer: State of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Architect: Signal Architecture + Research
Engineer: PBS Engineering and Environmental
General Contractor: Tapani Inc.
Subcontractors: Amerx Roofing, Columbia Allied, F.L.I. Landscape, Juniper Sawmill, Matheus Lumber, Milne Masonry, Park Place Painting, Parr Lumber, Precision Rebar & Accessories, Rixir Systems, Schonert & Associates, Superior Door, The Dalles Concrete, Trademark Plumbing, Wire Rite Electric

One of Oregon鈥檚 most scenic state parks is also the location of the winner of this year鈥檚 Top Projects award in the hospitality category.
Cottonwood Canyon State Park sits along the John Day River in Gilliam County in Central Oregon, and is actually the state鈥檚 second-largest state park at over 8,000 acres in size. Central to the park, however, is the brand new Cottonwood Canyon Experience Center, a new multi-use facility designed by Signal Architecture + Research and built by general contractor Tapani Inc. The new center opened in 2019 and features four new cabins, a brick masonry shower and bath facility for campers and a 1,500 building that calls on the ranching tradition of the region to welcome visitors with shaded outdoor space, a wood stove hearth and walkways connected to camping and cabin sites.

鈥淔or us, we鈥檙e from the Pacific Northwest, and we hunt and spend time over there,鈥� said Tod Tapani, vice president of operations for Tapani Inc., which works out of the Vancouver area. 鈥淭o be a part of that and be able to go build it, and knowing it will be there in the years to come, that鈥檚 the most unique thing. A lot of kudos goes to the design team that designed it. We constructed it, and they did a wonderful job.鈥�

The multi-use facility features classroom space, interpretive displays, activity and meeting areas, a park-specific library, and gathering space for events. The wood-framed building uses primarily Juniper, a locally sourced, sustainable forest product, while Tapani staff fabricated steel trusses, steel firewood rack, gutters and other elements used in the project.

Opposing doors allow for cross ventilation and translucent roofing provides ample daylight. Further, a large photovoltaic array provides nearly all the power the facility needs, making the building nearly net-zero energy.

Even the concrete floors connect with the local scenery and the John Day River. This was done with a steel topographical cut out of the river and also fabricated in-house. The concrete slab inside the cut out is stained and sandblasted to showcase the outline of the river. Marquee boards are left with their natural bends and shape.

Tapani said that while his firm has done work on numerous Washington state parks in the past, this was their first project with Oregon Parks and Recreation.

鈥淚 would say it鈥檚 definitely a good project and park,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e enjoy doing parks and it definitely fits in with the type of buildings we do. It was unique enough so it won鈥檛 attract all types of people, so we have a market advantage there.鈥�

He added that winning a Top Projects award comes as a surprise.

鈥淲hat goes through your mind is shock,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 really expect it, there are so many neat projects in the area. But it鈥檚 excitement and it鈥檚 cool. And, really, you want 鈥� the appreciation for everyone involved in the project, not only the Tapani crews but the subs, design, engineering and owner. It鈥檚 really a team collaboration to win an award like this.鈥�