Museum at Prairiefire

The Museum at Prairiefire in Overland, KS was designed by Jonathan Kharfen of Verner Johnson Museum Architects and Planners. Kharfen's vision for the museum was inspired by the prairie's use of controlled fires to maintain the landscape. He aimed to capture the movement and color of fire in the building's design, using non-traditional materials like colored stainless steel tiles and Dichroic Glass to achieve this effect. The result is a vibrant and unique museum that embodies the essence of the prairie. Jonathan Kharfen faced the challenge of using dichroic glass as an insulated, exterior glazing application, which had not been done before in the US. He had to understand the reflective nature of the glass and how to match interior finishes with a material that changes color. Kharfen worked closely with Goldray to create mock-up samples to demonstrate the possibilities of insulated dichroic glass. Despite the challenges, the team's philosophy of giving their best shot and working together led to the overwhelming success of the project.