Master Plan and Architectural Concepts

Established in 1939, Gold Arrow Camp is a private camp occupying leased Forest Service land in the High Sierra Mountains of California. Its 94 acres are located on Huntington Lake, a 1400-acre reservoir surrounded by mountains. In 2017, the camp acquired more land from the Forest Service, and asked Domokur & Associates to create a comprehensive Master Plan for the long-term development of the Camp. We worked with Gold Arrow Camp within a streamlined Master Planning process, and held a single, four-day, on-site workshop with the Camp. We evaluated the existing opportunities and challenges, explored design concepts, ranked camp priorities, developed an Opinion of Probable Construction Cost, and determined a feasible Implementation Plan.

Following the workshop, we helped the Camp develop a Master Plan for an ambitious goal: to grow its camper capacity by more than 300. This growth would involve expanding all major program areas, constructing a new dining hall, and reconsidering the existing camp layout. They also wanted a new Lodge that would serve as a multi-purpose/dining space with breakout rooms, commercial kitchen, servery, teaching kitchen, and milkshake cafe. The new Lodge needed to be efficient, flexible, and open, and it needed to be delivered simply with durable, long-lasting materials.

As part of our services, we created a series of working 3D models made from wood, foam, and printed plastic for the Camp and Design Team to better understand and communicate the vision. After completing the Master Plan, we were asked to develop a conceptual floor plan and elevations of the new Lodge for the Camp to include in their development proposal to the Forest Service. Our Team also proposed a site plan that considered circulation, accessibility, and service access. We look forward to working with Gold Arrow Camp in the future to implement the remaining phases of the Master Plan.