Client: Puget Sound Energy
Partner: SHKS Architects
Size: 5 acres

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Set along the Baker River in Concrete, Washington, massive concrete silos and the historic Baker Clubhouse stand as remnants of the Portland Cement Company's former operations. Site Workshop and SHKS have created a place here to learn about the cultural and industrial history of the area. Minimal planting and simple textures pull the site together, scattered with many relics, and allow the silos to punctuate the landscape — creating a sense of industrial wonder. 

 

The historic Baker Clubhouse, built in 1914, originally served as an office and laboratory for the Washington Portland Cement Company. Later, in 1925, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) purchased the property and converted the building into a bunkhouse and dormitory to support the construction of the Upper Baker Dam. PSE still operates the dam as a hydroelectric power project and has maintained the clubhouse, concrete silos, and a number of other structures on site as part of the Washington Portland Cement Company Historic District.