Environmental Learning Center by Matthew Ace Hutson at Coroflot.com

Environmental Learning Center

Environmental Learning Center from Matthew Ace Hutson

Environmental Learning Center

This project (still a work in progress) is focusing on Sustainability. I am supposed to redesign the interior of the Tourism Center and convert it to an Environmental Learning Center.

In the past I worked in a green house, have taken botany and forestry classes, and have lived on a farm where I gardened. This is a project I've felt very passionate about and have tried to make effective.

From the start I intended to create an experimental interior- I wanted the space to feel special. I think that the best to to encourage people to truly consider their environment is to provoke them and challenge them.

When looking at some other learning centers- I found myself bored. The design of the structure was rarely inherently tied to the purpose of the structure. Even when the structure was built "sustainably" it wasn't interacting with the user. The designers considered their buildings a shell for the purpose rather than a tool to serve the purpose.

I seek to subvert that.

This is roughly the layout I've designed for the center. Once I gutted the CAD plan of the previous building I started considering the purpose of the building and what I wanted inside. To the West I placed a full greenhouse. Inside it will house local plants, especially endangered plant species. There will be a small fountain and tables with seating. Plaques around the room will tell about the plants. A large fish tank filled with local fish will create part of the wall between the green house and the rest of the building. It extends down into the floor so you can walk on it. The central space surrounding the core can be used for visiting exhibits. The room in the exact center is for viewing documentaries. The Northern most room in the center is more seating, but could double as a multipurpose space. The Eastern area is four offices with a work space outside for planning new exhibits (if a visiting exhibit isn't available).
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This is a rendered section of the Learning Center. It shows the structure during the Summer Day and some of the design features I've implemented. The section cuts straight down the middle showing some of the lobby, media room, restroom, and sitting room.
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