The Nix Nature Center is a modest building built to educate people about their local wilderness and wildlife. It is located on Highway 133, east of Laguna Beach and has hiking trails into the surrounding canyons and ridges. The Nature Center was completed in 2006, cost 3.4 million dollars.
Image 1
The building is designed by Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects, and the landscape is designed by Spurlock Poirier Landscape Architects, and responds to the natural features of the landscape by framing views, and maintaining a small footprint on the land.
Image 2: Framed View of Saddleback Mountain, which can be seen from all over Orange County
Image 3: framed view of nearby hill and Little Sycamore Canyon
Sustainable elements:
- Building oriented in solar direction, with windows to the east.
Image 4: The nature center in the afternoon, shaded and protected from he sun.
- Rammed Earth (hopefully onsite local):
Image 5: Rammed earth wall on the west side of the building. It is very thick and protects the building from the heat.
- Rain-water collecting. The cistern is not visible, so it must be underground. I can’t imagine that it collects much water in this climate.
Image 6: the roof slants inward to collect water. The water goes into a cistern underground.
- Minimal footprint on the land, raised decks and board walks over sensitive areas.
Image 7: Raised decks above surrounding land allows water to run underneath.
Building as a symbol and trail head
I was not very impressed by the educational aspects inside the building. Yes, the exhibits are for kids, but there was no cohesion and fluidity, so it was difficult to understand the overall concept of the exhibits. The building seems to be more of a symbol for the Laguna Wilderness Park which is successful in attracting visitors to the park in droves.
