The
Museum of Life and the Environment
Location: Rock Hill, SC
Architect:
William McDonough + Partners
Status: Schematic Design | | The
primary mission of this museum in York County is to explore human connections
with, and responsibilities toward, the natural environment, with emphasis on the
origins and continuing evolution of the Carolina Piedmont. The complex will provide
a forum for scholars and policy makers, historians, scientists, and the public
to share the latest thinking about environmental history, ecology, and sustainability.
Visitors will explore the natural, cultural, and social history of the site and
the region through a series of pavilions that highlight the setting and embody
the exhibition themes. The design for this new museum in the Appalachian Piedmont
merges the built and natural landscapes on a dramatic 400-acre site overlooking
the Catawba River. Sited to emphasize the gently sloping topography of the land
and meandering geology of the river, the buildings and grounds inflect toward
the surrounding environment. | 
The
museum embraces land and water to claim the entire environment as the subject
of display and study.
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| An
institution dedicated to a discourse on sustainability and the environment will
be housed in a building that embodies these values. The museum will employ state-of-the-art
technology to mediate its natural environment in a sustainable fashion. A primary
consideration is the use of daylight to minimize dependence on electric light
and reduce energy use. Good daylighting practices will also contribute to thermal
and visual comfort, while establishing connections to the outdoors and the natural
world.
In response to the museum's ambitious scope, we recommended studying
a variety of daylighting conditions to accommodate diverse artifacts and exhibition
methods for the 40,000 sf of planned exhibit space. We worked with McDonough
+ Partners in the early stages of schematic design to identify potential opportunities
and liabilities with respect to daylighting design and related curatorial and
sustainable criteria. Initial
design concepts include four main spatial categories with implications
for daylighting: side-lighted south-facing galleries, clerestory-lighted north-facing
galleries; open pavilions; and, lower galleries with or without daylight access.
In addition, we identified potential exhibit design strategies
specific to two- and three-dimensional objects and audio-visual displays. Our
recommendations were substantiated
with case studies and sketches to inform future design directions and development.
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Section
perspective montage through typical exhibition space. Daylighting strategies combine
shaded southern exposures with a stepped roof that generates reflected clerestory
light. |
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