Independence Lodge seeks to house and embrace adaptive programs and participants, while embodying the nature and objectives of those programs with its built form. Situated slope-side the lodge attempts to coexist with the surrounding landscape. By way of a series of curved wall fragments, Independence Lodge finds itself within its own “Circle of Courage.” The walls loosely define the immediate precinct and provide a sense of security. The breaks in the wall allow for exploration and challenge, beyond the local precinct, that adaptive programs, and the mountain, offer.
The building is an interpretation of the adaptive program participant, both physically and spiritually. The handicapped person is frequently looked at as different and unapproachable, maybe even of less worth, by society as a whole. However, taking the opportunity to interact with those physically less fortunate reveals a dynamism, and passion for life, that the able-bodied should aspire to. It is my hope that the Independence Lodge will be an environment that fosters such interaction.