World Birding Center
World Birding Center in Mission, Texas by Lake|Flato Architects
The Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in deep South Texas is home to the headquarters of the World Birding Center, a network of nine sites along the Texas-Mexico border that are aligned with migratory bird patterns. With a plethora of birds at the sites year round, the eco-tourism potential is not lost on the organization, who built a visitors center at their Mission, TX headquarters, designed by San Antonio-based Lake|Flato Architects.
It seems that now more than ever people are aware of not only the migratory traits of some birds -- witnessed by the popularity of the film Winged Migration -- but also the destructive effects of man-made structures on these patterns. A Birds & Buildings Forum has even been created to deal with the adverse affects of glass high-rises, blinking lights, and other physical aspects of urban structures on birds. What this awareness points to is an appreciation for our feathered friends and a desire to maintain their habitats as well as making sure they get there.
Lake|Flato's interpretive center design is predominantly landscape, made up of a series of three Quonset-like buildings that are linked by trellised walkways. The shape of the buildings helps to reduce the size of the structures while also creating walkways and shielding the glazing from the sun for the sake of both the humans and the birds. These trellises further define the outdoor spaces between the buildings, used for recreation and educational activities.
In addition to the attention paid to the birds, this design is also notable for its sustainable aspects. In addition to the outdoor recreation and education, water conservation and other measures are also present, hopefully being passed along as sustainable lessons to the eco-tourists that flock (pardon the pun) to the World Birding Center and its unique interaction of people, birds, and nature.
The Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in deep South Texas is home to the headquarters of the World Birding Center, a network of nine sites along the Texas-Mexico border that are aligned with migratory bird patterns. With a plethora of birds at the sites year round, the eco-tourism potential is not lost on the organization, who built a visitors center at their Mission, TX headquarters, designed by San Antonio-based Lake|Flato Architects.
It seems that now more than ever people are aware of not only the migratory traits of some birds -- witnessed by the popularity of the film Winged Migration -- but also the destructive effects of man-made structures on these patterns. A Birds & Buildings Forum has even been created to deal with the adverse affects of glass high-rises, blinking lights, and other physical aspects of urban structures on birds. What this awareness points to is an appreciation for our feathered friends and a desire to maintain their habitats as well as making sure they get there.
Lake|Flato's interpretive center design is predominantly landscape, made up of a series of three Quonset-like buildings that are linked by trellised walkways. The shape of the buildings helps to reduce the size of the structures while also creating walkways and shielding the glazing from the sun for the sake of both the humans and the birds. These trellises further define the outdoor spaces between the buildings, used for recreation and educational activities.
In addition to the attention paid to the birds, this design is also notable for its sustainable aspects. In addition to the outdoor recreation and education, water conservation and other measures are also present, hopefully being passed along as sustainable lessons to the eco-tourists that flock (pardon the pun) to the World Birding Center and its unique interaction of people, birds, and nature.
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