Big Cypress Sawmill

Jefferson, Texas

Vertical Studio Fall 2015

Professor Francisco Gomes

Design Excellence Award Winner

Published in UTSOA Student Publication ISSUE 12

The Big Cypress Sawmill and Museum reclaims the historical turning basin of Jefferson, Texas and creates a unified public building that combines a working sawmill, boat building workshops, classrooms, and gallery spaces for the display of handcrafted boats. 

This building is intended to be a celebration of Jefferson’s culture of traditional handcrafted boat making and woodworking industry.

The lower level contains a long continuous space that allows the flexibility to house a working sawmill. The upper level is divided into smaller spaces that allow users to filter through the building and view galleries and sawmill operations as they follow along a continuous pathway that connects with a public boardwalk.

This project respects the history and culture of Jefferson by encouraging users to learn about and participate in the culture and tradition that makes the city a unique and fascinating place.