Design metaphysics of a nature conservatory

Abstract

The program for a proposed nature research and education center is developed and used to generate a 3000 sq. ft. wilderness complex. Issues of inhabitation, scale, and publicness in a natural landscape are presented. The experimental orientation of the facility is expressed in the functioning and character of spaces and details. To establish the context of the design problem, the evolution of social attitudes towards nature is summarized. Ultimately the scope of architectural referencing, as determined by an objective view of the environment, is questioned. And, as a result, an effort has been made to produce an architectural presence not wholly controlled by use, but also as an "offering" to the environment.