Yasmeen Almuhanna: Crawford Notch and Highland Center

The Crawford Notch area, named after the first settlers the Crawford Family, draws people in 12 months a year. The White Mountains contain waterfalls, huge cliffs, dense forests, and captivating nature. Although the Highland Center is the poshest lodge on the White Mountains, it should not be mistaken as a “camping experience”. The lodge is known for its cleanliness, full buffet breakfast (apparently their french toast is stellar) and comfy rooms. Although this might be ideal for a family retreat, it probably would not suit the hard core hiker who is looking to be immersed in nature and not afraid to rough it up. If you were looking to camp outdoors, you may utilize the two mountain huts along the White Mountain trails rather than booking a night at the Highland center. It is all a matter of preference and comfort levels. One should take into consideration the different types of people who hike this trail and who exactly the bathhouse should target. Is it the family out for a pleasant retreat? Or is it the adventurous hiker that hangs off of icy cliffs in the dead of winter. 

Danielle Lehmann: Highland Center and Crawford Notch

Crawford Notch is just one of many stops that hikers can make along the (more than) 2,000 mile long trail. From reviews, this certain spot is one of the best along the trail and offers free equipment rentals for almost anything that a hiker would need at any time of year. This area brings in many different types of people - adults, families, teens, schools, scouts and leadership groups. The house itself practices green building and maintenance - even the plants that had been on the site when they built the lodge nine years ago were relocated and replanted for education use. Trail names originate when someone on the trail either gives themselves a name or when one is given to them (mostly when someone else gives it to them) because of a quirk, story or event that happened while on the trail.

Liz Dolinar: Crawford Notch Culture

Crawford Notch is part of the White Mountain Range on the Appalachian Trail. Hikers here range from families and casual day-hikers to avid hikers who have made their way up the AT. Knowing about the diverse group of outdoorsmen (and women) who utilize the Crawford Path can contribute to the design proposal for the bath house. Understanding the particular needs of hikers, both seasoned and amateur, can inform decisions such as organization of the facility and how hikers approach/use the bath house. Also, understanding the raw beauty and power of the landscape can impact the aesthetic approach to this project.

Websites:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/about-the-trail
http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/lodges/highland/
http://whitemountainhistory.org/Crawford_Notch.html

Alyssa Hamilton: Crawford Notch Culture

The Crawford Notch lifestyle is one of extremes. People go there to push the boundaries of what they can do and to see as much as they can of the amazing and diverse scenery. Families, groups of friends, and passerby trail hikers all come here to enjoy the scenery...not architecture (sadly). So for project 1 we realized this and tried to make the lodge simple yet homey. Our wooden walls and roof were proposed to be made of materials that are local to the mountainside and our block formation mimicked the granite outcroppings that reside within Crawford Notch. In project 2 of the bath house I will explore these ideas more closely.







Links I went to (in order, the best are towards the bottom)"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawford_Notch
http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/huts/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saco_River
http://www.newhampshire.com/section/newhampshire0311
http://www.newhampshire.com/article/99999999/NEWHAMPSHIRE0304/110419941/-1/newhampshire0304
http://www.nhstateparks.org/explore/state-parks/crawford-notch-state-park.aspx
http://blog.nhstateparks.org/national-trails-day/
http://blog.nhstateparks.org/

Carolina Tamayo| Crowford Notch Culture

The culture of the Highland Center and Crowford notch is simple: it is all about nature. Whether you are sitting on the lawn in the lodge or hiking for hours around the White Mountains, you immerse yourself into an environment that is all about acknowledging nature’s beauty and appreciating its simple pleasures.

By researching their culture I have come to a conclusion that might seem a little silly, but nonetheless more appropriate: the bathhouse should not call attention to itself, rather to the views that lie around them.  It should not be an extravagant piece of architecture but calm and careful one that redirects your attention to nature, which is most important.  Nature, by itself, can be luxurious.