Situated on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Roamstead reimagines an aging campground as a modern and inclusive wilderness hospitality destination. In 2022, SPA was commissioned to create a new vision for the campground that included the complete renovation of the existing log cabin lodge, a new outdoor pavilion for gatherings, and site improvements to enhance visitor experience.
Numerous additions to the existing lodge and surroundings by past owners had left the structure in disarray. The lodge itself consisted of an original one-story log cabin with a balloon-framed second story addition and roof deck as a third yet another addition. Our design team proposed stripping away the miscellaneous structures and additions to reveal an archetypal gable roof building hiding within. This approach allowed us to extend the useful life of the existing structure, while introducing an elegant and simple architectural expression.
SPA introduced interior improvements to the lodge as well. A portion of the lodge’s second floor was demolished to create a vaulted space for a new bar and lounge area. Three new lodge rental rooms were added to the second level, with balconies projecting toward the main public green space.
Our team designed a new steel and wood pavilion adjacent to the lodge and pool, featuring a butterfly roof as an playful counterpoint to the lodge’s gable. The pavilion serves as an outdoor dining space during the day, with a projector screen featuring movies for guests in the evening.
The resulting ensemble is a cohesive design clarified by a formal and material language distilled from a hodgepodge resulting from decades of ad-hoc additions and modifications. Roamstead serves as an excellent model for re-positioning aging campgrounds to new hospitality campuses that accommodate the needs of contemporary visitors.