HM White has designed a native Bronx landscape habitat for WCS’s new Center for Global Conservation, a LEED gold certified facility. The site design draws upon the site’s natural assets to fuse landscape and building. The site’s open water channel is replaced and manipulated into a vast wet meadow and constructed wetland which emerges as the facility’s “front yard.”

The landscape absorbs and filters storm water run-off, treats it biologically through a series of tiered rain gardens that ultimately drain into a wet meadow. The meadow is contained by a new native Oak grove on a berm that defines the Center’s precinct and its landscape setting. A vegetative and wildlife habitat bridge is accomplished through a green roof ramp that links the meadow with the woodland. The wetland gardens and green roof enhance the local ecosystem and reveal its natural processes while supporting the project’s ambitious sustainability goals.

A hardwood IPE deck floats above the wet meadow, inviting participation within an access controlled environment. Opportunities for impromptu meetings, socializing, individual work and contemplation are provided by stepping stone walkways, decks, stone and timber benches, all set within the vegetated roof, the woodland and the meadow.

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New York City Art Commission
Award 2006