Sited amongst a concentration of international-caliber museums and institutions, this Museum of Natural History seeks to express a pronounced civic presence, publicly exhibit its expansive collections and critical research components, display virtues of sustainability and environmental stewardship, and create immersive didactic exhibit environments. The proposed design solution selectively demolishes portions of the 220,000 SF existing museum in order to create a grand entry portal, generous multi-level public spaces, a remediation courtyard, and expanded exhibit galleries for the dinosaur collections. 40,000 SF of new construction will include the new specimen lobby, new central plant, museum store, café and event space, and additional collection storage. The massing, articulation, cladding, systems, and shaping of public spaces are informed by structures, forms, of systems based in zoomorphic precedents or natural phenomena.....
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