Center Archives

frank gehry designs new center for young artists at LA’s colburn school

frank gehry-designed school: breaking ground ceremony

The Colburn School in Los Angeles, one of the world’s leading schools for music and dance, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its 100,000-square-foot expansion designed by Frank Gehry. The new Colburn Center will dramatically increase the school’s elite training and performance facilities and provide much-needed performance space, including a 1,000-seat, state-of-the-art concert hall, for young artists across LA. The groundbreaking ceremony took place adjacent to the construction site at 130 Olive Street, located within Downtown Los Angeles’s Bunker Hill area diagonally across the street from Colburn’s existing campus on Grand Avenue. The expansion will stand as an important addition to the cultural corridor which includes Gehry Partners’ Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Music Center, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Diller Scofidio + Renfro-designed broad. Anticipated completion is expected for the first quarter of 2027.

left to right: Sel Kardan, Carol Colburn Grigor, Andrew Millstein, Jerry Kohl, Terri Kohl, Maeesha Merchant, Toby Mayman, Merle Mullin, and Terry Greene at Colburn Center groundbreaking ceremony, April 5, 2024 | image © Loreen Sarkis

a hall for all

Designed by Frank Gehry (see more), the Colburn Center at the Colburn School (see more) will be a ‘hall for all,’ giving artists and students a place to shine. the center will stand at the crossroads of culture, education, and landmark architecture — marking frank gehry’s third project within three blocks to become the world’s greatest concentration of his architecture. The colburn school welcomes over 2,000 students from across los angeles and around the world, with ages ranging from seven months to adult. the new center will make the colburn campus an even livelier hub of artistic activity and enable the school to expand its mission of presenting programs for the public, which include performance and educational collaborations with acclaimed local and touring artists and ensembles. it will also provide much needed performance space in a mid-sized hall for the region’s established and emerging performing arts organizations.

view from hill street west towards dance school entrance | image © Gehry Partners

the 1,000 seat theater, ‘terri and jerry kohl hall’

Frank Gehry’s Colburn Center will welcome students and audiences alike, with a dynamic composition of transparent and opaque interlocking blocks that step down into the natural contour of the site. A 1,000-seat concert hall uses an in-the-round design to create intimacy between the performers and the audience and removes the stage lip, putting front-row seats at eye-level with the performers. Orchestra, opera, dance, and musical theater will all be at home in the hall, which is equipped with an orchestra pit and a stage large enough to accommodate the grandest works and the largest orchestrations.

branded shovels used for groundbreaking ceremony | image © Loreen Sarkis

the theater and dance studios

Four professional-sized dance studios and a 100-seat flexible studio theater are enveloped in glass and provide a literal window into the beauty and rigor of dance training and performance. Qith a separate entrance and distinct architectural character, the light-filled dance facilities will have their own identity while harmonizing with the larger project. The Colburn Center will be equipped to take a modern approach to multi-media technology and production. The facilities include commercial-quality recording and streaming capabilities, and performance spaces will be outfitted with state-of-the-art lighting. Public spaces include an outdoor plaza, giving visitors a front-row seat to the performing arts, and gardens which provide much-needed green space and pedestrian access to nearby public transit hubs.

view from Hill Street and 2nd Street intersection

colburn president sel kardan comments: ‘With great joy and excitement, we share the design of Frank Gehry’s multi-dimensional project, which will welcome our students, performing artists, and audiences from across los angeles.The Colburn Center is a physical manifestation of the school’s founding principle of ‘access to excellence,’ allowing Colburn to continue and expand our educational and performance activities in a design which breaks down barriers between audience and performer and reveals the educational process. We look forward to collaborating with our artistic partners in Terri and Jerry Kohl hall, which complements the other stellar performance spaces in Downtown Los Angeles.’

performance by the Colburn Conservatory’s Pep Band | image © Loreen Sarkis

inside the 1,000-seat Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall | image © Gehry Partners

Reference

Architecture

field object lab embeds leaf-shaped community center along lake’s edge in china

By Zarkon Group,05/11/2023

Studio Fei & Field Object Lab envision leaf pavilion by the lake

Studio Fei & Field Object Lab conceive Leaf Pavilion by the Lake to accommodate The Community Center located in a rural village in Ya’an, Sichuan, China. The project is part of the local government’s initiative to boost rural tourism. The region, well-known for its tea production and culture spanning centuries, informs the architectural concept. Drawing from the local sloping roof typology, the design strikes a nuanced balance between the familiar and the contemporary. The leaf-like floor plan introduces a subtle architectural contour, tracing the water’s edge with a sense of lightness to the eaves.

all images courtesy of Studio Fei & Field Object Lab

four intertwined leaf-like formations compose the pavilion

Each structure’s central eaves gently descend, directing the gaze toward the distant horizon. Vertical spaces at the terminations of each room offer unobstructed panoramic views of the nearby lake and mountains. Adapting to the site’s natural elevation gradient, the overall massing mirrors the cascading topography of adjacent terraced tea fields, creating the interior spatial arrangement. As visitors enter, they are guided along a gradually changing floor elevation, culminating in a tranquil waterside trail. For the concept of The Leaf Pavilion, Studio Fei & Field Object Lab merge cultural influences with innovative design, creating a space that respects its heritage while offering a serene environment for the community.

central eaves gently descend in each structure, directing the gaze toward the distant horizon

the overall massing mimics the cascading topography of nearby terraced tea fields

the Leaf Pavilion, conceived to house The Community Center, celebrates the region’s rich tea culture

the giant roof is supported by an engineered mass timber structure

Reference

Architecture

MVRDV revives old tower as shenzhen women & children’s center

By Zarkon Group,01/10/2023

project info:

name: Shenzhen Women & Children’s Center

location: Shenzhen, China

architecture: MVRDV | @mvrdv

founding partner in charge: Jacob van Rijs

partner: Wenchian Shi

director MVRDV Asia: Steven SmitPeter Chang

project leader (Rotterdam): Lorenzo Mattozzi
project leader (Shanghai): Luca Xuconcept design: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Marco Gazzola,
Giuseppe Mazzaglia, Daehee Suk, Chi Zhang, Siyi Pan, Bertrand Tan, Albert Parfonov,
Andrius Ribikauskas, Enrica Perrot, Martina Franco, Peter Chang, Luca Xu
schematic design: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Giuseppe Mazzaglia, Daehee Suk, Fredy Fortich,
Chi Zhang, Bertrand Tan, Jiameng Li, Agnieszka Dabek, Paula Vargas Torres, Elisa Paneni,
Peter Chang, Luca Xu, Yang Hong, Leo Zhang, Cai Huang
detail design: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Giuseppe Mazzaglia, Daehee Suk, Fredy Fortich,
Chi Zhang, Bertrand Tan, Jiameng Li, Paula Vargas Torres, Luca Xu, Yang Hong, Echo Zhai, Ruochen Zhang
interior & Landscape design: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Fokke Moerel, Pim Bangert, Giovanni Nardi, Daehee Suk, Jiameng Li, Bertrand Tan, Paula Vargas Torres, Luca Xu
working documents revision: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Luca Xu, Giuseppe Mazzaglia,
Daehee Suk, Jiameng Li, Fredy Fortich, Yihong Chen, Peilu Chen, Xiaoliang Yu
aesthetic supervision: Lorenzo Mattozz, iLuca Xu, Giuseppe Mazzaglia,
Bertrand Tan, Jiameng Li, Americo Iannazzone, Yihong Chen, Kefei Yan, Edvan Ardianto Muliana
MVRDV NEXT: Boudewijn Thomas, Yayun Liu, Changqinq Ye
visuals: Antonio Coco, Angelo La Delfa, Pavlos Ventouris, Francesco Vitale,
Luana La Martina, Jaroslaw Jeda, Emanuele Fortunati
lead project coordinator: Jammy Zhu

co-architect, lanscape, MEP: SZAD

co-project coordinator: Shenzhen Women & Children’s Building Operation and Management
facade consultant: KGE (King Glass Engineering)
structural engineering: Yuanlizhu Engineering Consultants
lighting consultant: BPI (Brandston Partnership Inc.)
cost calculation: Jinxia Property Cost Consultation Co. Ltd.
interior architect: Jiang & Associates

photographer: Xia Zhi | @xiazhi_photogtapher

Reference

Architecture

A Journey of Movement and Form: Inner Mongolia’s Sculpture Research Center

By Zarkon Group,07/04/2023

Inner Mongolia Normal University Sculpture Research Center – The project, which covers an area of 6,000 square meters, mainly functions as a sculpture workshop for research and development and production of various types of sculptures (stone, wood, copper, iron, plastic, leather, jade and pottery). It also has the functions of teaching, communication, exhibition and negotiation, and trading, etc. The creativity of the design is to establish the relationship between space and feeling.

Architizer chatted with Zhang Pengju at INNER MONGOLIAN GRAND ARCHITECTURE DESIGN CO., LTD. to learn more about this project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

Zhang Pengju: The initial design concept came from the moving line of users entering the site, the organization structure guided by which established a series of overall orders in terms of form, space and structure, including: a movement line order that conforms to the relationship of the site, a form order that conforms to the functional needs, a structure order that conforms to the logic of construction, and a time order that conforms to the feeling of site. At the same time, it also further guides the selection of materials in line with the spatial temperament and the lighting strategy in line with the physical logic.

© INNER MONGOLIAN GRAND ARCHITECTURE DESIGN CO.， LTD.

This project won in the 10th Annual A+Awards! What do you believe are the standout components that made your project win?

At the core are construction, materials, low cost, light, and their interrelation. In the design, light steel was selected as the main structure and recycled concrete blocks served as the wall enclosure space. As both the structure and finishing, the block material expresses the sense of authenticity, achieves durability, and at the same time costs less. The design introduces sky light into the interior, maximizing the expression of the rough and natural block material and the hard and frank steel structure, reinforcing the feeling of a constant and natural site.

What was the greatest design challenge you faced during the project, and how did you navigate it?

The greatest design challenge was to create an artistic and infectious spatial character. The design laid the foundation of the spatial character by means of spatial staging and enclosure, such as the staging of the space with axial guidance and dynamic variations; the enclosure was completed with the enclosing form of the entrance and the interior light environment; the design also strengthened this spatial character with the attributes of authenticity and purity, such as the authenticity of the materials and the construction. At the same time, the materials, construction, light and shadow also strive to express purity.

Inner Mongolia Normal University Sculpture Research Center Gallery

Reference

Architecture

Revitalizing a Contaminated Site: The Ford Calumet Environmental Center

By Zarkon Group,28/01/2023

Ford Calumet Environmental Center – Once a dumping ground from nearby steel mills, Big Marsh park opened in 2016 on the southeast side of Chicago. The Chicago Park District asked Valerio Dewalt Train to design an environmental center that serves as an education hub and a gateway to eco-recreation opportunities throughout the region. The design responded to the park’s past by marrying the industrial with the natural. The exterior is clad in a rain screen of weathered steel that recalls the site’s steel mill history, with an exposed mass timber interior. Two large rooftop light monitors, clad in exposed Nail-Laminated-Timber, flood a double-height exhibition area with daylight.

Architizer chatted with Tom Daly, Project Manager and Joe Valerio, Design Principal at Valerio Dewalt Train, to learn more about this project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

Tom Daly: Historically, Chicago’s Southeast Side has been burdened with the effects of industrialization and left with remnants of steel production in the region of the city. The building’s materiality serves as a metaphor to the site’s industrial past and forward-thinking future: the corten steel that wraps around the building is an acknowledgement of that past, while the two wooden forms cantilever dramatically to both mark the entry and frame a view of the interior, while from the inside they focus your attention on small but significant vignettes of the restored natural landscape. They deliver a message about an environmentally responsive and conscious future.

This project won in the 10th Annual A+Awards! What do you believe are the standout components that made your project win?

The design serves as an example for a progressive future of building in the City of Chicago, a city known for design innovation. The center was the first wastewater wetland system in the city, and the first mass timber building for the Chicago Park District. The building also actively improves living conditions for its surrounding inhabitants. Its highly bird-safe design rates a 4 out of a 100 level scale, with 0 being the highest, and provides a resource for the surrounding communities who have suffered from a lack of investment and park services for decades. It’s sculptural form and rich materiality serve as a gateway to the park at large.

What was the greatest design challenge you faced during the project, and how did you navigate it?

The overall project budget was $6.6M, and was made possible by a major contribution from the Ford Motor Company. The Design Team was immediately challenged when it was discovered that the nearest sanitary sewer line was 1.6 miles from the site. The cost of bringing a sanitary sewer to the site was $2.0M – threatening the viability of the entire development. Working with our civil and plumbing engineers, we developed a design for an on-site black water treatment system where the outflow was clean water. The Ford Calumet Environmental Center is the first time a wastewater wetland system has been permitted by the City of Chicago.

How did the context of your project — environmental, social or cultural — influence your design?

The project’s environmental, social and cultural context are intertwined. Historically, Chicago’s Southeast Side has been financially underserved and burdened with the effects of industrialization. The Ford Calumet Environmental Center is a bold statement of how we can re-inhabit landscapes destroyed by 20th Century technology. A major focus were local residents of the four surrounding neighborhoods including South Deering, Pullman, Trumbull Hill and Hegewisch. Our Media-Objectives Studio reached out to community leaders and developed an award winning exhibit which focuses on their past and optimistic future. Through environmental education and eco-recreation, the center serves as a community resource and cultivates advocacy for positive change across the Calumet Region.

What drove the selection of materials used in the project?

The building’s materials reinforce its mission. The 20th Century industries that so damaged this region were major sources of carbon released in the atmosphere. The weathered steel cladding is recycled – which has a low level of embodied carbon compared to other building materials. The decision with the most impact is the use of a mass timber structure. The embodied carbon is lower than almost any other material, in addition the timber sequesters carbon leading the way to an environmentally-responsive future.

What is your favorite detail in the project and why?

Early in the design process our focus was on creating an open and welcoming architecture with a daylit interior. Big Marsh Park is also on one of the major migratory routes for birds, drawing attention from an important constituency for the Park – bird watchers.

The two wooden forms that cantilever over the corten facade, bring daylight from above into the exhibit space. The eight foot cantilever results in eliminating the reflection of the sky in the large clerestory windows, bird safe glass is also used for these window. There are six large windows around the perimeter that bring daylight into all the interior rooms. Each is equipped with large doors, covered in perforated corten steel. In the open position, the doors shade the glass reducing the reflection of the sky. During the migratory season, the doors are kept closed, with the perforated metal still providing adequate light

How important was sustainability as a design criteria as you worked on this project?

Sustainability was a driving factor in the design and overall project mission. Sustainable features like the wastewater wetland system are put on display, demonstrating how it takes inspiration from the marshes’ natural processes to treat the building’s blackwater and release clean water back to the site via a leach field. Renewable resources in the project include Nail Laminated Timber, giving the building warmth and a lower carbon footprint. An eco-friendly alternative to aluminum, weathered steel has a lower carbon footprint as well, reducing the building’s overall embodied carbon while providing a durable layer of protection with a beautiful orange patina.

In what ways did you collaborate with others, and were there any team members or skills that were essential in bringing this Award winning project to life?

Collaboration was critical to the success of the FCEC. It began with the Chicago Park District who were willing to explore new solutions to old problems. In addition, from the beginning one of the Districts goals was to engage the adjacent minority communities.

Designing and permitting the wasteland wastewater system involved many members of the design team, the Park District, and the Chicago Building Department.

Finally, our Media-Objectives Studio brought leaders and residents of the surrounding neighborhoods into the design of the exhibit which includes the history of these communities including photographs of some of the residents including their own words about the past and future of the region.

Were any parts of the project dramatically altered from conception to construction, and if so, why?

There were a number of changes, but nothing that represented a dramatic change.

How have your clients responded to the finished project?

The FCEC is one of the most widely recognized buildings completed by the Chicago Park District. Among the awards and publications the most significant is first place in the yearly Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence in Community Design was established to recognize the importance of great architecture and craftsmanship to city life.

How do you believe this project represents you or your firm as a whole?

Good design is always the answer.

Team Members

Steffan Schoenauer – Project Manager (Chicago Park District); Joe Valerio – Design Principal Mark Dewalt – Principal-in-Charge, Tom Daly, Alexander Raynor – Project Manager, Lauren Shelton, Matt Gamache, Michael Johnson, Susan Crockett, Nina Cackovic, Haydyn Jones, (Valerio Dewalt Train); Joe Lawton – Principal, Allison Rokusek, Jacob Goble, Rafael Barontoni, Stephen Killion – Graphic Designers (Media–Objectives)

Consultants

Chicago Commercial Construction – General Contractor; Primera – Civil Engineer; Jacobs Ryan Associates – Landscape Architecture; Matrix Engineering – Structural Engineering; dbHMS – MEP Engineering; Tom Harris – Photography; TetraTech – Environmental Consultants; BioHabitats – Green Infrastructure

Products and Materials

ReSawn Timber Co; Axis Lighting; Dri Design; Arborwood; Shaw; Crossville; Steelcase;

For more on Ford Calumet Environmental Center, please visit the in-depth project page on Architizer.

Ford Calumet Environmental Center Gallery

Reference

Architecture

new recreation center by perkins&will completes in el paso

By Zarkon Group,05/11/2022

global firm perkins&will takes to el paso

Perkins&Will celebrates the completion of its Eastside Regional Recreation Center in El Paso. In the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert, about forty miles from central El Paso, is the Hueco Tanks — an area of clustered rock formations home to hollows of water and petroglyphs dating back to 6000 BCE. The colors, forms, and light of the Hueco Tanks have sparked human creativity for centuries.

Adding to this rich history, Perkins&Will’s Dallas studio drew inspiration from the site for El Paso’s new Eastside Regional Recreation Center, now known as ‘The Beast,’ a name selected by community vote. Located in a fast-growing part of the desert, the recreation center and water park is the first component of a 92-acre regional park, transforming an extreme, high-altitude desert basin into an inviting oasis for the historically underserved multigenerational community.

a state-of-the-art recreational center

Seeking to enhance the quality of life for residents, the city of El Paso engaged the architects at Perkins&Will to spearhead the development of the recreation center alongside local architecture firm, In*Situ. With a population of over 150,000, East El Paso is the fastest growing town in Texas but is also the least developed in terms of community resources, making this project a significant milestone for the community.

The first phase included a state-of-the-art natatorium — swimming center — community center, fitness center, gymnasium, and an outdoor waterpark. Informed by numerous stakeholder meetings, the designers addressed the community’s need for an oasis to escape the heat, creating swimming areas as both a temporary escape from the weather as well as an activity that promotes wellbeing and connectivity.

responding to the natural context

Entering the recreational grounds, guests encounter a public art display referencing the Hueco Tanks State Park. Dallas-based artist Brad Goldberg embraced elements of the surrounding environment in the piece, incorporating Palo Verde trees and large granite boulders shaped into outdoor seating, creating an area of respite for guests at the front of the recreation center.

A wide selection of local species helps conserve irrigation water throughout the landscape, with grading designed to accommodate periods of intense rainfall. Arroyos surround the building as a clear reminder of the desert environment.

A large plaza serves as a community civic space and gateway to other areas of the center. On the west side of the building is the entrance to the multigenerational community center, built with a long format brick that provides a much-needed breakdown in scale for a residential, welcoming feel. In support of a city-led regional colored lighting initiative, the south façade is illuminated at night, transforming into a beacon for the neighborhood.

Modulation of the intense, dynamic desert light guided the design concept. The design team carefully articulated humble materials, creating a range of experiences with modest cost implications throughout the building. Shade structures allow for exterior activities, providing relief from the desert sun and creating a transition between indoors and out.

Sight-lines and connectedness also served as a driver of the design. Inside, light enhances the vitality of people in motion. The shade structures, tilt-wall concrete, wood slats, and perforated metal filter light and views throughout the interior in ways appropriate to the desert context.

The north façade panels allow indirect sunlight into the building and provide relief from the potentially monolithic wall panels. In the indoor natatorium, a saw-tooth panel arrangement provides indirect natural light without creating dangerous reflections that might impact a lifeguard’s ability to monitor underwater conditions. At night, the south façade is animated with light in support of a city-led lighting initiative.

The state-of-the-art natatorium includes a competition-ready fifty-meter pool, a 25-yard lap pool, and two diving boards (one meter and three meters) with associated diving well. The pool can host up to 400 athletes on the deck and has support functions to hold regional competitive swim meets. Ascending to the second floor, patrons have access to spectator seating that accommodates up to 800 people.

Above the spectator seating, acoustic panels help minimize echoes and reverberation in a color palette inspired by the Hueco Tanks’ flora. Also on the second floor is a fully-equipped fitness center with a walking track, a gym with a main basketball court, and two side courts holding up to 250 people. The outdoor waterpark is separated from the natatorium. It includes a wave simulator, a 25-foot-tall water slide, a lazy river, rentable shaded cabanas, and a rock-climbing wall with an associated plunge pool.

Throughout the project, the design team prioritized the health and wellbeing of its users. The team utilized energy modeling to optimize HVAC and envelope performance, learning a counterintuitive lesson along the way. By removing interior insulation and wall finish at the aquatic center and gym, the team freed up budget dollars that could then be applied to enhanced HVAC systems for overall better energy performance.

Additionally, the concrete interior surfaces require less maintenance than traditional painted gyp board. In support of the wellness goals for the center, an efficient method for removing harmful chloramines from the air in the pool was utilized. A continuous evacuation chamber embedded in the pool deck extracts these chloramines. This works in tandem with the perimeter HVAC duct layout in sweeping the air towards the evacuators, ensuring the air is as clean and healthy as possible.

Reference

Architecture

The Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center

By Zarkon Group,25/04/2022

Have your say in which architects will take home Architizer’s prestigious A+Awards: Public Voting opens this spring. Interested in next year’s program? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates.

As architecture firms across the United States join the AIA’s 2030 Commitment and integrate more sustainable practices into their work, effectively communicating the energy benefits of any given project during and after the design process is an ever-present challenge. Following a project’s completion, a plaque denoting an energy certification such as LEED may be installed on the building if it has achieved this accreditation, however, this doesn’t do much to educate the average person about what design elements actually contribute to this building’s energy efficiency. The way in which buildings, their systems and the environment interact is a complex equation that culminates in a calculated Energy Use Index (EUI) for any given project, which can vary over the course of its lifespan.

According to the International Energy Agency, architecture and its associated construction industry are responsible for approximately one third of total global energy consumption and nearly 15% of direct CO2 emissions, with energy demand from buildings continuing to rise. It is therefore imperative for new projects to not only aim for carbon neutrality and net zero status, but to also educate their inhabitants more globally about the impact of sustainability on the built environment.

With this in mind, in 2020 nARCHITECTS completed a pioneering facility that effectively visualizes how energy consumption shapes both architectural form and the natural environment. The project originally materialized when the New York State Parks Department asked nARCHITECTS to turn their attention towards a minor, ongoing renovation of a nature center at Jones Beach, that was in the planning stages at the time. The project’s ambition continued to grow as it developed, and the Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center eventually came to encompass an energy education center, a series of support offices, classrooms and a continuous sequence of exhibition spaces.

The final budget, including the landscape and exhibitions, was roughly $30 million. Slightly under half of that total sum was contributed by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), which makes annual contributions and has partial curatorial oversight of the gallery spaces. This investment arrived on the heels of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, as New York State began to pursue an aggressive clean energy plan through capital investments, systemic changes and collaborations between policymakers, energy producers and the public.

As a net-zero targeted building that permanently monitors and displays its own energy performance, the Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center is a true model for all projects that seek to enlighten visitors about their own carbon footprint and the ways that we can all become more conscientious environmental agents. The building has a thin, linear footprint that is born from the location of existing foundations and a concrete sub-surface belonging to a boathouse that formerly occupied the site.

At 320 feet in length, this single-story structure treads lightly on the site and functions as a gateway to the beautiful natural environment of Jones Beach. The building has a simple form, with a series of Northeastern-oriented sloped roofs and clerestory windows punctuating the long elevation to create the sensation of a set of rolling waves moving toward the shore. A cedar-clad canopy wraps the building on all sides, creating a continuous shaded porch that results in a continuously shifting pattern of shadows.

Inside, the gallery spaces feature plentiful glazing, creating a bright environment that consistently makes visual connections to the surrounding environment; a far cry from the typical white box gallery environment, completely divorced from its context. The Lobby and South Gallery explore the history of Long Island’s energy network, while the East Gallery investigates “The Power of Nature” through exhibits on the surrounding ecosystem, landscape conservation and habitat restoration. The West Gallery focuses on “The Nature of Energy,” through exhibits on natural energy sources, energy-efficient buildings, renewable energy technologies, embodied energy, and the impact of extreme weather on our power grid.

Geothermal wells provide heating and cooling throughout the interior, while 260 photovoltaic panels provide enough energy to allow the building to operate off-grid for 6 hours. The Nature Center is educational for visitors in both its overall form and exhibition content, as it successfully outlines the role of energy in New Yorker’s lives and how thoughtful, site responsive architecture can minimize our impact on the environment.

What better place than Jones Beach to juxtapose the relationship between our built and natural environments. Structures like this one are a critical part of addressing the climate crisis, meeting sustainability goals, enhancing resilience, and supporting more equitable communities, as we move towards a less destructive future.

Reference

Center

frank gehry designs new center for young artists at LA’s colburn school

frank gehry-designed school: breaking ground ceremony

a hall for all

the 1,000 seat theater, ‘terri and jerry kohl hall’

the theater and dance studios

field object lab embeds leaf-shaped community center along lake’s edge in china

Studio Fei & Field Object Lab envision leaf pavilion by the lake

four intertwined leaf-like formations compose the pavilion

MVRDV revives old tower as shenzhen women & children’s center

A Journey of Movement and Form: Inner Mongolia’s Sculpture Research Center

Inner Mongolia Normal University Sculpture Research Center Gallery

Revitalizing a Contaminated Site: The Ford Calumet Environmental Center

Ford Calumet Environmental Center Gallery

new recreation center by perkins&will completes in el paso

global firm perkins&will takes to el paso

a state-of-the-art recreational center

responding to the natural context

The Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center

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