City of St. Louis Park, Westwood Hills Nature Center

Zero Energy, Sustainable Nature Center

Westwood Hills Nature Center (WHNC) is a 160-acre nature park featuring prairie, forest and marsh areas, with trails and an educational center. The project is Net Zero Energy as well as Net Zero Positive. WHNC sought to replace their small, aging facility with a new building whose overarching purpose and vision is connecting people to nature. HGA’s site design expands an existing specimen prairie, creates an outdoor classroom space on the site of the old building, and provides expanded parking for visitors to the new facility. The building forms an experiential and informational threshold to the site. Together, the architectural and site design serve to reinforce visitors’ connection to their landscape.

WHNC’s programming is education-focused, and the heart of the building is formed by a series of multipurpose rooms that will be used for environmental learning classrooms and public events. The new interpretive center will provide expanded public exhibit space and flexible learning spaces for a variety of environmental learning programming for students ranging from preschoolers to seniors. Staff offices, raptor mews and additional support spaces will be included to support programming.

Part of a City effort towards a sustainable future, WHNC will serve as an exemplar for sustainability strategies. WHNC has achieved International Living Future Institute‘s (ILFI) Zero Energy Certification.

Portfolio
Location

St. Louis Park, MN

Building Type

Nature Center

Size

160 Acres


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Westwood Hills
Nature Center

Get a look inside Westwood Hills Nature Center while leaning how this space is knit with its surrounding environment.