Yakima golf clubhouse takes cues from barns and hop fields
A golf clubhouse in Yakima in central Washington now takes its cues from barns and sheds. Graham Baba Architects, a studio based in Seattle in Washington state, has completed the new clubhouse and driving range at Westwood Golf, alongside a refresh of the site's nine-hole course, according to Dezeen reporting published on 19 October 2026.
The architects described the new facilities as a minimalist nod to agrarian structures. The reference comes from the Yakima Valley around the course, a farming district lined with orchards and hop fields.
The new clubhouse measures 12,000 square feet (1,115 square metres) across two levels. It is L-shaped in plan. That L groups hospitality rooms on one arm and golf bays on the other.
It holds 28 driving-range stations in all. Some bays include high-tech simulation of golf courses from around the world, letting players practise famous layouts without leaving Yakima.
The ground level holds a restaurant, bar and pro shop, the store where golfers check in and buy balls and gloves, alongside 14 driving-range bays. The upper floor holds 14 more bays, plus a second bar and an enclosed event space for gatherings. Below grade, out of view, sit a golf-cart garage and a supplemental kitchen that backs up the main restaurant.
Structure sets the tone inside. The roof and upper floor are made from mass timber panels, thick slabs of engineered wood, supported by steel and glued-laminated columns and beams, supports made by gluing layers of timber together for strength. Columns stand 20 feet (6 metres) apart. That clear span leaves space for full, unencumbered swings.
The finishes stay close to the farm theme. Shade screens made of Corten steel, a steel designed to weather to a rust-brown skin, wrap selected areas of the building. Concrete walls were formed with wooden boards, so the grain of the boards stays visible as texture. The architects said the combination of timber and board-formed concrete was intended to create "warmth and depth".
The landscape work follows the same practical line. The site includes a green roof, a roof section planted with living vegetation, and an on-site stormwater management system, plumbing and planting that holds and filters rainwater rather than sending it straight to drains.
What makes this stand out is restraint. Many clubhouses reach for the grand gesture. Here the moves are simple. Wide spans. Tough materials. Space to eat, drink, shop and swing. It is built for golf and for gathering after.
