HONEYBEE DISCOVERY CENTER, Orland, CA
Principal in Charge with HMC
Located in the heart of almond country, which depends on honeybees for pollination, the nonprofit Honeybee Discovery Center educates the public on how “bees and humans adapt to the challenges of an ever-changing world.” Its new home will be a model high-performance building illustrating how development can alleviate the very problems that plague bees. Inspired by research into the efficient use of resources by both bees and the farm structures common to the region, the project is pursuing Net-Zero-Energy, Net-Zero Water, LEED Platinum, and Living Building Challenge certification. Housed in a large indoor-outdoor, passively conditioned shed, the Center will provide exhibits, event spaces, and a public resource shaped to be intelligent and memorable. The enclosed spaces are arranged under an umbrella roof rising up from the south. The specific angles suit the needs of the different programs and performance goals. At the south entry, a low roof with a pollinator garden is tilted at the right angle to be visible to arriving school buses but low enough to create a stable soil bed. The hovering garden keeps bees out of reach—look, don’t touch. Over the main hall, which features a large photovoltaic array, the angle of the roof is nearly ideal for solar exposure at this latitude. Energy consumption will be 80% lower than average, and onsite energy production will yield 25% more power than needed to meet all annual needs on site. Picture this sign in the lobby: No bees were harmed in the making of this building.
AWARDS: Golden Nugget Awards, Best Special Use Project; San Diego Green Building Council Merit Award
“This design sets a new standard for our community’s future.” —client