Happy Earth Day!
Today is the day (as should be everyday) to loudly praise those who have taken great strides to tread lighter on the earth. My newest green design find in the Seattle area is the Discovery Center at South Lake Union. Designed by The Miller|Hull Partnership and originally built to house the sales center for Vulcan Real Estate, the Discovery Center's new purpose in life is as a meeting space and community informational museum. The greatest feature of this building is in its design and future, wherever that may be. Consisting of four metal, glass and wood-roofed modules and resting upon concrete piers, the Discovery Center can essentially be disassembled and reassembled on a new site, where again it can become a Vulcan sales center for a new development. These concrete piers also allow the ground below to remain as it had before it was built, so once the structure is moved it literally does not leave a footprint. Over 80 percent of the materials used in its construction are environmentally friendly and recycled meaning the environmental responsibility of the structure just keeps going.The surrounding community is doing its part as well. Along with the Discovery Center and the Whole Foods Market, South Lake Union features a number of business equally invested in sustainability and making a positive impact upon our planet. Thanks to all this amazing work and dedication, this 'green' community has been invited to participate in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for neighborhoods pilot program. So, if you are in the area and have a moment, stop by to see what a real community should look like.
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