Natural Design

We took a trip up to Logan last weekend to participate in the charrette for the new Logan Nature Center.  The team of planners was finding a way to fit a new building into the natural space of Logan Canyon.  It was fascinating to see architects, city planners, Stokes Nature Center staff and members, and graduate design students all working toward a common goal of a beautiful and functional space for the site which is called "Second Dam."   Mike and I watched and mingled, then helped clean up. Since I have taught classes at the current nature center I had a vested interest in how the classrooms were designed.  Here's what I learned:  I am a detail person and I have trouble sticking to the big picture.  As they discussed their ideas it was all I could do not to cry out, "For God's sake don't put the outdoor classroom that far from the bathrooms!  Do you know how long it takes to get twelve four-year-olds up a set of stairs like that????"  I barely contained myself which was good because that was not the time to get into details, apparently.  They were interested only in how they were situating the different aspects of the center onto the landscape and how the outside would function "in tune with nature."  Not the detail of how to get a wheelchair and three dozen fifth graders across a busy parking lot and into a multi-level building.  Ah well, my turn will come.  I'll be the one crying from the sidelines, "I TOLD you those six-year-olds would need a place to leave their coats and lunches when they visited!"

Meanwhile, we enjoyed the changing leaves in Sardine canyon on the way up and a chance to get away for a night from our busy household.  Happy October.