Government
Canyon Visitors Center
Lake|Flato Architects, San Antonio, Texas
The design team aimed to minimize
impacts on the landscape and
fragile water resources and
to do more with less. The development
was concentrated to reduce
landscape water usage and physical
impact on the site. Extraneous
space was eliminated, reducing
material use, energy use, first
cost, operations cost, and
maintenance needs.
Exhibit and circulation spaces,
originally programmed as indoor
spaces, were designed as sheltered
and shaded outdoor spaces,
accepting summer breezes but
protected from north winds.
These spaces are not air-conditioned,
reducing conditioned space
by 35% and further reducing
material and energy costs.
Rainwater collected from the
project roof is filtered and
used for both landscape irrigation
and wastewater conveyance.
The gravity-flow water system
is coupled with solar-powered
water pumps. All stormwater
runoff from parking lots is
distributed through vegetated
filter strips and retained
on site.
For
the full story please visit
the AIA
COTE website
Photo
Credit: Chris Cooper
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