Designed by Francis Kéré, this wooden pavilion serves as the exhibition hall for the Tippet Rise Art Center. It offers visitors a tranquil sanctuary amid the ranch’s natural beauty. The pavilion’s name, Muting (BIM Training), reflects the intricate inner layers of a tree’s life structure. Visitors come here to engage in conversation while enjoying the poplar and cotton poplar trees lining Grover Creek, or to find solitude for quiet reflection.
The exhibition hall is situated on gently sunken terrain between the art center’s main buildings and a hiking trail. Surrounded by poplar trees and facing a small stream, the pavilion is crafted entirely from natural wood. This design invites visitors to explore the most mysterious part of nature—the core of trees. Sustainable pine wood, sourced from local forest pruning practices aimed at protecting trees from parasites, forms the pavilion’s original structure.
Atop seven steel columns, a weather-resistant steel hexagonal modular framework secures the ceiling logs into circular bundles. The canopy’s upper surface is carved into smooth curves to harmonize with the rolling hills around it. The roof design draws inspiration from the toguna, a sacred traditional space in Dogon villages, which is a wooden and straw shelter that protects from sunlight while allowing ventilation in the shaded area beneath.
Inside the pavilion, sunlight filters through the vertical wooden logs, casting gentle patterns on organically shaped wooden seats and a polished concrete circular platform on the floor (designed using BIM). This interplay of light and shadow creates a serene atmosphere. The seating arrangement is intentionally varied to encourage visitors to discover their preferred spots—whether for small group conversations, relaxing with a partner, or solitary meditation—enhancing the pavilion’s spatial richness and connection to the surrounding landscape.
The Muting pavilion also serves as a community hub, welcoming visitors and local residents alike. Built alongside the Naaba Belem Goumma High School in Gando, Burkina Faso, it symbolizes the unique connection between Montana and Francis Kéré’s hometown. This project is dedicated to Francis Kéré’s father and will be accessible to children in the surrounding Savannah area of Burkina Faso.
▲ General Layout Plan
▲ First Floor Plan
▲ Sectional View
Project Information:
Architectural Firm: Kéré Architecture
Location: 96 S Grove Creek Rd, Fishtail, MT 59028, United States
Type: Exhibition Hall
Lead Architect: Francis Kéré
Building Area: 2,100 ft²
Year: 2019
Photographer: Iwan Baan
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