PROJECTS PORTFOLIO: Four visitor [aii interpret the lands iain patrons to become one} aan by Jessica Joan DhooreWITH A WHISPER, TRAPPS GATEWAY COAXES HIKERS TO HIT THE TRAIL ‘We were the only architects who promised not to bulla building” 8YS Lee H,Skolnick, a, about ‘Trapps Gateway, the visitor center his New York City fm designed for ‘Mohonk Preserve in upstate New York. Instead, the architects bult what Stohick cals “an invitation to the lane that summons hikers and climbers to preview what they s00n experience firsthand, The architects connected the bldg to the preserve in several ways. conjunction with the tnd: scape architect they selected trees on the heavily wooded preserve to fel {or the center's 11 major columns. Srila, masons culled stones from the and fer te facade, structural retaining wal, and but terior furriture, And much ofthe 9200- square-foot bulcing sts below grade to minimize the impact of what could be animposing, unnatural mass Inside, a two:story vista oppo: ‘te the entrance draws vistors—as ‘down the nave ofa cathedral, says ‘Skonick—past a larg topographi- cal model ofthe preserve and a ‘storyline’ of didactic exhibits, both Cf which the fm designed Dowmsais geothermal beat ingand cooing system uses the carts underground temperature to ‘maintain a constant climate witout sing oss fel. Orgnally intended tomeet sustainably requirements, the geothermal system, wien vistors can observe through ss, no part ofthe educational program, The interplay between the archi tecture andthe interpretive exhibits, say the architects, enforces the vi: tor center as a gateway and transforms vistors’ perceptions of the land while insping them to nd that place int. 1.0. Projet: Tapps Owner: Mook ‘Architoet: 2 H, Slick Architect € DssignPorneship—Lee H. Slick, 4s, principal, Paul S Alte principal Jo ‘Ann Sec distro Landscape: Hdson& Poste Designs For the entrance: (above), native stone ‘and timbers, a8 wll as the hidden lower level, reinforce the archi: Dullaing blend withthe site. A two-story wie dow (oft and a ‘topographical mode (otow) draw vistors ‘tough the building. chbitdOviemtas Main meeting roam Outdoor deck Gifesh eerereIN MANHATTAN’S BACKYARD, NATURE LOVERS FIND A REFUGE AS PRIVATE AND COZY AS THE BACK PORCH The Greenbrook Nature Sanctuary Vstor’s Cente, deslened by New ‘ork Ciy fm Thanhauser & Esterson, Provides refuge for bird-watchers ‘much a the 180-aore preserve ore ates a safe harbor or wild things Just sx miles north of Manhattan on the New Jersey Palisades in Apne, NJ, the ,000-square fot vistor center, accessed by a deck that ins the new construction to an existing, smal gable roofed ofc, was erw- sSoned by the architects as “a ‘bul! train the woods ‘Approaching from the parking lot visitors encounter the building's primary horizontal component, ‘wal buit from stone found on-se. The wall—-ntended to be a reminder ofthe Palisades’ 300-foot cits interupts the vew into the forest ‘and marks the boundery between the bul and natural environments ‘ramp caries vistors up the deck and a right tur takes them to 1. Existing ofce 2 New det 8. Exhibit 4, Resarch office 1, ind-watching niches ‘the entrance (a lft tun leads to the ‘ld bullng) on the other side ofthe wall. Inside, an abundance of maple in both ceing panels and remo. ‘able exhibit panels, coupled with daylight admitted by slight, eve ‘the interpretive area a warm glow. ‘A setes of windons—each with 2 stool and a pair of binoculars lines the rear wal of he uiing and faces a bird meadow, creating ‘observation niches and imbuing the ‘ace withthe foo of another man ‘made escape for ating, watching, ‘and wondering: the porch Projet: Greenbrook Nature Sanctuary Visitor’ Center lowmor Palisades Nature Asociation Architect Thahawser Esterson— Jack Eseron, principal: charge: Ken Levenson, res Tanase, project architect Intorpetive: Stephen Saitas (design) Katherine Grover (tex) ‘The new visor centers connected to an exit Ingoffice (lt in photo let by anew deck, whose ramp leas to the main entrance (op) hind the horizontal ‘stone wal. nse, cxtibits occupy a near ‘pace, and brd-vateh- Ingiches tine the rear wall (above) 199 Architectural Record $49A CONCRETE OASIS COOLLY COMES TO NATURE’S AID It's not ust the high-desert heat rs ing that, rom a distance, blu the edges ofthe Antelope island Visor Cente into the cantaur of Ladyfinger Ridge. Designed by Edwards & Daniels architects, of Sa Lake ity, the 5.250-square-foot bulleng, sted ‘ona sear created by adynamite blast, actually heals the profle of the nocther tp of tis 48-mieong island in the southeast comer of Utah's Great Salt Lake, Simiety, the rough, gray, cast in-place concrete camoutlages the center in what project architect Peggy MeDonough-Jan ls, com ares toa maonscape. And the The building completes the profile oftadyfinger Ridge top) The way, ‘cainplace concrete vals blend well ith ‘the ltans ingonous walls—higher on one end than on stone (ltt). Light shines the other—appear shifted by a sub In through clrestries, terranean force, suggesting timeless aminatng extiits geology at work, not 20th-century and orienting vistors ‘construction, Rectaimed timber framing, however, nods to the island prior human settlements ‘Awalkway that starts at the parking lot takes visitors inside. As they move along it they get glimpses ofthe vistas they came to see and ‘can branch off into exhibit and mult: use areas. Eventual, the path takes vistors back outdoors to an overiok ‘whore they can appreciate endless ews and contemplate a seemingly beginningess history. 4.0. Projet: Antelope nan State Fark Visitor Center owner Stat of Uish ‘rchtect: Bawards Daniels Acie, Inc Bake Cartwright prinepal-in- charge, Pegy MeDonough Jan, a, project archi, laine Fung, Michal Pusey [Consuttans: Landscape Desig inc—Jan Sire (landscapes Consortium West (inerpretve) Wtkwey from parking Bookstore Exhibie office Resource ® an Mulise oe Walkway overlook Nepeepe 848 Archies Record 1059