TA Guest Ranch

TA Guest Ranch is a marvelous place. It is owned and operated by a fourth-generation Wyoming family who embody the warm hearth and gritty resolve that have kept the ranch running since 1882.

The ranch sits at the eastern foothill of the Bighorn Mountains, near a narrow pass the funnels the broad Wyoming plain to Ten Sleep, an ancestral meeting point approximately 10 days, or 10 sleeps, from Sioux camps along the Platte River.

These plains attracted white settlers expanding west along the Orgeon Trail, and later became an important site for cattle ranchers scratching a living from highland scruff.

TA Ranch is the site of the 1892 Johnson County War—between local farms and Texas ranchers—and is a Smithsonian Institute National Landmark.

Project

TA Ranch is a popular destination for locals, who meet for dinner, celebrate milestone anniversaries, and host community events. The ranch also offers multi-day packages for out-of-town guests, who come to experience authentic ranch life as it has existed for generations. TA Ranch has adapted incrementally over the years, but now it needs a more dramatic expansion to meet new demands. We were asked outline a strategic plan that would allow the ranch to grow while adhering to its authentic roots and landmark status.

Landscape

The Wyoming landscape is spectacular and alien. Dry prairies are dotted with shrub-steppe, sagebrush, and a fleeting riverbed snakes behind the hill. Rocky, jagged formations break through the crust on the eastern lee of the Bighorn Mountains. Site planning should include native plants and wildlife habitats.

Architecture

Many of low structures that form a loose, workmanlike huddle of buildings in the open plain date back to the founding of the ranch. They are unremarkable buildings that endure extraordinary conditions. For 150 years, each building has served a purpose. Sometime changing, but always honest and essential. These building are the product of meager means and empirical methods.

In a globalized world, vernacular architecture has given way to generic ideas and cheap materials. It is important to retain the authentic, vernacular qualities of the ranch. Use established techniques, local materials, and sustainable methods. Keep things simple, practical, and earnest.

Authenticity

The TA Ranch is a working ranch. Inherent in this is a feeling of authenticity, with a deep respect for the people and the animals that have graced this land for generations. Any decisions that are made from an architectural or programming perspective must preserve this authenticity. The moment you lose that authentic quality, you cannot get it back.

Sun

Solar diagrams illustrate the sun's path across the sky, including sunrise, sunset, sun altitude, sun azimuth, and sun exposure. These particular diagrams—which illustrate the sun's path at the longest day (summer solstice) and shortest day (winter solstice)—help us plan building orientation, glass exposure, shading elements, roof overhangs, and other architectural and landscape elements. Because the ranch frequently hosts events, we used these digagrams to strategize the sunlight angles for afternoon wedding photography, shade for an evening music stage, and breakfast in the sun room.

Wind

We collected and analyized public data to determine prevailing wind direction and speed across all seasons. This allowed us to position buildings and landscape elements to block wind in key areas during the seasons when it matters most.

Topography

We overlay topographic features to design buildings and other site elements into the landscape. We can take advantage of the natural grade to create public and private areas. Grading can help create the right level of separation between spaces.

View

We created a sightline plan to position buildings and landscape elements to frame views, clarify way-finding for guests, and conceal services and utilities. We can create intimate, enclosed views from the bath house and long, sweeping views from guest cabins. We can plan an outdoor wedding to create the most photogenic backdrops for guests. We can optimize guest way-finding. Can guests see the front door from the parking lot? Is it intuitive to see other guests gathering for a wedding? Are we concealing services and utilities? Are we blocking views in an unsightly way?

Sound

We will use an acoustic plan to identify primary sources of sound to predict how sound will move around buildings and landscape elements so we can design the ideal guest experience. Certain areas, like the road house, will be tuned for weddings, parties, and festivals. Other areas, like the bath house and guest cabins, will be shielded from noise to create quiet, introspective spaces.

Privacy

A well-considered site plan should establish zones for public and private spaces. Active public spaces should be open, accessible, and lively, while quieter public spaces provide guests with a more introspective environment Staff are mindful of guest and service spaces as they go about serving guests and operating a working ranch, while the owners, who have lived on site for multiple generations, should be away to enjoy their home away from the bustle of guests.

Buildings

We use a site plan to identify and design long-term strategies for utilizing and developing the site. The arrangement of each structure and landscape elements is deeply interconnected with business goals, ranch logistics, and guest services. A well-developed site plan will maximize the natural assets of the site.