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FXFOWLE completes center with the planet as its top priority
The Wildlife Conservation Society challenged the design team to create a world headquarters that embodied their conservation mission: man and nature in harmony. The Center for Global Conservation, a synthesis of building and landscape, fulfills this mandate. Woven into its site on the northern edge of the Bronx Zoo, the cantilevers of the long, sleek concrete structure embrace surrounding rock outcroppings. Inside and outside spaces interlock. Flexible collaborative work spaces and informal gathering spaces occur at these intersections. Structure is minimized. Daylight and views are maximized.
The natural material palette links built and natural worlds. Large, red, salvaged slate panels form an elegant accent wall in the main conference room. Bluestone flooring spans between interior and exterior gathering spaces. Exposed structural concrete emphasizes the formal clarity and economy of materials. Acoustical materials mitigate noise and allow an open office environment. The sustainably-harvested wood sun-screen controls heat-gain and mitigates bird mortality in the forested CGC site.
A zero-carbon building, the Center for Global Conservation is powered by a microturbine. Air is distributed through a raised floor system providing individual occupant control and tempering. The building functionally and systematically sits lightly on the landscape.
Through dedicated research, design, and collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Center for Global Conservation exemplifies an economy of materials, form, function, and energy use while celebrating the connection and balance between the natural and built worlds.
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