Robert C. Reamer designed the Old Faithful Inn in West Yellowstone, completed in 1904. The log hotel is one of the greatest and last remaining examples of rustic resort architecture.
Tall Lobby – The steeply gabled lobby faces the famed Old Faithful geyser. A 500 ton, 85 ft stone fireplace rises in the lobby. Around it, a branch framework supports two levels of balconies, and a twisting stairway that rises to the roof, and then on to a rooftop platform, 92 ft up. The fireplace flue rises in criss-crossing beams next to this exterior stair.
Rustic – The surrounding hallways lead out to wings of hotel rooms, and keeps low tight ceilings to accentuate the height of the lobby. Curved branches, lantern light fixtures, ironwork detailing, and diamon-shaped window panels keep an old, rustic look. A sizable dining room to the south is a miniature version of the lobby, with a stone fireplace and shallow ceiling.
Upward Motion – Focus is placed on the fireplace and the perilous staircase up to the roof. They end at an equal height. This speaks to the magnificent height of the Old Faithful geyser. Their transition from interior to exterior also adds a mythological touch, as the geyser becomes analogous to a naturalistic shift. Reamer focused on “people’s psychological yearnings that could be fulfilled with good architectural design.” (Richard Barlett)
Roof – The roof is the unifying element of the rustic western lodges. This fundamentally brings shelter and safety, following the Arts & Craft movement, a theme that is also seen in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater House. In this hotel’s case, the safety of the vast roofs and warm fireplace contrasts with the peril of the stair’s and chimney’s upward motion, which breaks through to the roof’s pinnacle. The powerful presence of the roof planes is also enhanced by the wooden shingles often used on the walls and dormer peek faces
