The Tower at Legendary
Highway 14
Competition Entry
De Smet, South Dakota
Winter 2023
Designed to evoke interest from a distance and intrigue with every step towards the top, the Tower at Legendary Highway 14 is a sculptural observation tower that is integrated into the natural landscape of De Smet, South Dakota. The tower stands to entice visitors near and far and provide them with a vantage point into a place marbled by seasons and time.
Upon approach, two cedar plank boardwalks meander through the pastoral landscape and alongside the adjacent wetlands towards the tower, one from the newly expanded parking lot to the east inviting guests traveling along US Highway 14 and another from the existing Laura Ingalls Wilder Wilderness Trail that extends southward from the town’s primary artery, 4th St SE. On occasion the boardwalks widen to facilitate areas for rest and viewing.
