The building presented is a 1,800 square foot education/office building. The interior architecture is separated by a masonry spline breaching the space into public and private spaces. The facility includes an 800 square foot education and community seminar room overlooking a dramatic undulating landscape. The composition also houses flexible office spaces and a library for its multi disciplined staff. Accessible from the exterior of the building are three restroomsfor the public and staff. The exterior architecture takes shape from the landscape. The form is most pronounced in the precipitous roof slope abstractly mimicking the landscape's form. The architecture is organic by nature through layering materials, textures, solids and voids to create the evolution of its form. With the goal to transition the built environment to the natural landscape environment, the right materials were carefully selected. The exterior utilizes simple natural and recycled materials such as masonry, wood, parallam lumber, glass, rubber, metal and stucco. With the use of these materials, specific construction techniques were used in order to minimize disruption of the existing sensitive environment. Sustainable and passive designs were major criterion for this project. Because of this, many of the issues dealt with the building giving back to the site. One of the most important aspects of the building was its ability to protect and restore the natural vegetation of the surrounding habitat. Systems that contributed to this enhancement were: a rain water harvesting system for irrigation, Photovoltaic PV panels, xeriscape landscape, controllable exterior lighting systems and the use of recycled and renewable materials.In the quest to establish sustainable architecture, one natural community that represents the diversity of life on earth was successfully displayed. In consequence, success is the sum of details.
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