walnut creek urban wetlands park

location: Raleigh, NC
est. completion date: 2009
project team:
Frank Harmon
Erin Sterling

problem statement

The Walnut Creek Urban Wetlands Educational Park transforms 49 acres of abused, polluted wetlands into a living, natural resource for the City of Raleigh. The park’s mission is to promote understanding and protection of an urban wetland, enhance community pride, and encourage economic development. It also provides an accessible “quiet zone” for communing with nature while preserving the natural beauty of the wetland, protecting the habitat of numerous species, and lifting the spirits of those who visit it.

Phase one of the project is the thoroughly “green” 7000-square-foot Visitors’ Education Center that houses a bookshop, conference room, small library, and a kitchen, as well as classrooms and a laboratory. Here children and adults learn about wetlands within a wetland. The center will also be connected to extensive trails and outdoor activities.

our design response

To conserve and protect a natural wetland, the Visitors Education Center rests lightly upon the land, echoing and embracing the indigenous materials surrounding it. The structure is poised six feet above the wetlands flood plain so its footprint is minimal. The all-wood construction utilizes recycled materials wherever possible and blends seamlessly into the landscape while an abundance of windows welcome the surroundings into the building. The windows also facilitate natural ventilation and illumination. All circulation occurs on the exterior of the building across large porches that project out into the environment. A geothermal system provides heating and cooling needs and photovoltaic panels generate much of the Center’s electricity. The metal roof’s deep overhangs protect the interior from the harsh summer sun. Rainwater runoff from the angled roof is collected in cisterns. A system is also in place to filter storm water runoff before it returns to Walnut Creek.