Pima Dynamite Trailhead

A Trailhead Structure Guided by Nature

Poised on the boundary between the city and the desert, the Pima Dynamite Trailhead in Scottsdale, AZ, is a gateway between two worlds. The beginning of the trail is marked by an angular building clad in a steel skin that rises out of the desert wilderness. Along with accommodating restrooms and amenities, the center’s slatted overhangs frame a number of outdoor “rooms” that are oriented to maximize the outlook and provide respite for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians. Preserving the ecology of the Sonoran Desert was a guiding force on the project. To that end, construction was focused on land that had already been developed while the building’s low, undulating form was sensitively positioned to harmonize with the site’s natural drainage flow.