The Outpost, by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen, is a place for art sited in the sparse setting of central Idaho. At first, I thought the relationship of the house to its site was odd. The exterior is bare CMU block with just the few penetrations for glass. And the long and high garden wall separates a tree colonnade from the principal site, even though there is not a lot to separate from in the area. Then the photographs draw you inside the house, and the connection to the landscape becomes more clear. The large glass on the elevated level provides expansive views of the low and open landscape. The tree garden, surrounded and separated by the high wall, is place-less and retains no connection to the infertile site. As much as the exterior has a nice form, to me the project is about the experience of seeing one’s connection and disconnection from the site. This quality makes a perfect place to be quieted for the creation of art.
