Writings by an architect, an architectural historian, a naturalist, and a photographer enrich this book of handsome photographs. Grand Teton National Park's rugged alpine landscape and stunning array of wildlife attracts over two million visitors every year, making it one of the most popular national parks. The new Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center at Jackson Hole, designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson with exhibits by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, combines the National Park Service tradition of rusticity with an architecture that is distinctly modern. The entry sequence leads visitors through a spacious, meditative courtyard into an expansive view of the vast thrusting mountains. The roof tilts upward and away from the courtyard, its jagged edges celebrating the contour of the Teton Range. The transition from stillness to action brilliantly sets up an experience of the depths and drama of the natural world. ILLUSTRATIONS: 200 colour o50 b/w photographs i20 illustrations
