For the first three and a half weeks of working on this project, all I did was read, read, read. I read books, websites, magazines, newspapers, and anything else I could get my hands on. This was the beginning stage of my project as I needed to educate myself on the topic before I could begin designing. Some of the sources I read were simply educational, and were not incorporated in the project where others I wrote down direct quotes for use in my research paper.
Not only did I conduct traditional research but I also looked into various nature centers across the US for ideas and design inspiration. I found information on 10 different nature centers and then complied that data into a 1 page summary of the highlights of the findings. In the handout, I tried to pick different nature centers which embodied very diverse designs and concepts to show the overall diversity.
View document of Nature Center Research
Another aspect of the research included site research. As mentioned in the DEVELPOMENT section, Mr. Somerlot has been hard at work collecting information and compiling the data to form an Impact Study of the area. In addition to that, I have visited the site numerous times to gather information and take pictures to survey the site. This is a way for me to familiarize myself with the area in order to design a building that takes advantage of the natural area and the views available.
*Coming Soon-View Impact Study
*Coming Soon-Google Earth Images of Site
Since I will no longer be a New Albany student when this facility is built, I took great care in talking with teachers who would be the ones taking their classes to the nature center. As the high school Environmental Science classes are the intended primary users of the building, I asked Mr. and Mrs. Somerlot to tell me just what exactly they envisioned for this building. I also wanted to gain an understanding of what the general student body thought about this facility so I conducted a survey among the junior and senior environmental science students and complied their results.
*Coming Soon-Stakeholder’s Visions
After weeks of reading, I complied my sources and information to write a detailed research paper explaining what I had learned and proposing what I plan to do. The general outline of my research paper includes: an introduction to sustainability, “the ten shades of green”, research gathered from other nature center across the United States, and finally information on LEED certification and the US Green Building Council.
As I sit down each day and edit the paper it is continually changing, however I have posted a link to my research paper if you choose to skim through and read it. I have also provided a link to a copy of my works consulted page. This is the condensed version, as I have read book after book and website after website and could not list them all. Please feel free to e-mail me with any comments or questions regarding my paper and the content.
*Coming Soon-View a copy of Rachel’s research paper
*Coming Soon-View a copy of Rachel’s works consulted page