Fraesfield Trailhead at the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"At 30,500 acres, the McDowell Sonoran\nPreserve in Scottsdale, Arizona, is the country\u0027s largest urban land preserve.\nDrawing nearly one million visitors annually, the preserve\u0027s trailheads help\nprotect the preserve while amplifying its advocacy efforts and minimizing the\nimpact on the sensitive desert ecosystem. The new Fraesfeild Trailhead sits\natop a subtle and vegetated plateau, offering some of the most sweeping views\nof the preserve and nearby Tonto National Forest. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In the early 1990s, residents voted\nto preserve land in north Scottsdale in an effort to protect the McDowell\nMountains and the Sonoran Desert. Three parcels of land measuring about five\nsquare miles comprised the initial McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Continued use and\nvoter support have helped the preserve swell to its current size. In 2014,\nwhich marked the preserve\u0027s 20th anniversary, the team was hired to create a\nmaster plan for two new trailheads in the preserve\u0027s northeast section. "]]],[1,"blockquote",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThe project has a very effective and\nphenomenal siting.\u201d - Jury comment"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Fraesfield Trailhead, which opened in\nlate 2019, is one of those. The modest structure occupies a site that once held\na roaming cattle ranch homestead. Constructed of desert-appropriate materials,\nit blends into the surrounding landscape as it provides visitors accessing the\npreserve\u2019s 130 miles of trails with shade, educational space, and a platform\nfor viewing the landscape. Restrooms and an outpost for volunteers enrolled in\nthe preserve\u2019s Pathfinders program are additional key elements. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The architecture expresses the site\u0027s\nranching history through its use of rusty, textural steel panels. As it\ncaptures the viewsheds, the trailhead is perfectly calibrated for solar\nprotection in the morning and early afternoon. In particular, the structure\nframes views of nearby peaks, while the cantilevered outlook draws in the Tonto\nNational Forest, allowing visitors to study and seemingly touch the horizon.\nInterpretive signage throughout details the history of the land and further\neducates visitors about the surrounding environment. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThe project has a very effective and\nphenomenal siting,\u201d noted the jury. \u201cThe design is very experiential and\niconic. It frames the skyline and great views of the horizon and touches the\nground lightly. Overall a very strong project.\u201d"]]],[1,"blockquote",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThe design is very experiential and\niconic. It frames the skyline and great views of the horizon and touches the\nground lightly. Overall a very strong project.\u201d - Jury comment"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The trailhead is intentionally\nminimal in its elements and impact on the site. The only water required is for\ntoilet operation, and it is stored in underground tanks and refilled as needed.\nElectricity powers just emergency and safety lighting, the soft internal glow\nof which provides an element of wayfinding. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"While the trailhead is removed from the urban centers\nof Scottsdale and Phoenix, one of its primary goals is to provide universal and\nfree access to the preserve for all community members. To that end, the team\nand the project were guided by considerations for the health and well-being of\nthe greater community and the fragile desert environment. A series of public\nforums ensured that the most essential amenities were programmed to accommodate\na wide range of visitors. "]]]]}