Robinson Nature Center
Robinson Nature Center
Robinson Nature Center

Robinson Nature Center

For this project, Forrester Construction built a new, three-story, state-of-the-art nature center nestled into the hillside on a wooded site adjacent to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area in Howard County, Maryland. The Robinson Nature Center‘s mission is to capture the attention of children and educate them about their natural environment. The center includes a two-story main exhibit space, a large Discovery Room, a 150-seat auditorium, classrooms and meeting rooms, a 50-seat domed nature planetarium, a balcony and green rooftop as well as outdoor interpretive trails.

Robinson Nature Center was designed and built with a strong focus on energy conservation and sustainability. One of just four LEED™ Platinum Certified buildings in the state, the center incorporates cutting edge sustainable technologies including a geothermal heating and air-conditioning system, a pervious pavement parking lot, a green roof and solar panels that generate 15% of the center’s electricity. The facility also extensively uses sustainable and recycled materials.

Project Location:

Columbia, MD

Architect:

GWWO Architects

Size:

25,000 SF

Schedule:

12 months

Highlights:

LEED™ Platinum

Awards:
  • Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Excellence in Construction Award
  • ABC Metro Washington Excellence in Construction Award
  • Engineering News Record Award of Merit
  • Associated General Contractors Washington Contractor Award, Best Sustainable Project of the Year
  • USGBC Maryland Green Project Award
  • USGBC Maryland People’s Choice Award
  • Washington Building Congress Craftsmanship Award