Designing with Nature in Mind

What this episode covers

Nature’s Playscape This is Passport to Texas Thoughtful design plays a key role in meeting the conservation goals of Texas Parks and Wildlife. We are an agency that says: “Life’s better outside.” So, how does that translate into how we make buildings and sites. Christy Seals is an Architect with Texas Parks and wildlife Building less, building simpler, this idea of a building as “shelter” instead of a hermetically sealed envelope … I had a professor at school that talked about climate control in a building as: “Well, you should start first by putting on your jumper” … and, then go to condition systems. Park structures must also be long-lasting, robust and low maintenance. I would say, sustainability and resiliency is really at the core of how we need to be thinking about our facilities. It starts with these passive solutions. What is the building made of? Is it sited appropriately? Do we use the wind and sun and rain to our advantage? There’s also an opportunity to educate. We also, I think, have a duty to interpret these things that we do for sustainability or resiliency so that we are showing the visitors something that they might do in their own lives or something we are doing for a reason of energy conservation. Astute choices can conserve resources, reduce utility costs and create more resilient facilities. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.