Environmental Design + Construction - December 2008 - (Page 114)

PARTING inable Susta PHOTOS BY DIANE BONDAREFF. New York’s Brooklyn Children’s Museum celebrated the opening of its newly expanded building in September 2008, and simultaneously became both the world’s newest and oldest children’s museum. Completely new exhibitions, programs and visitor amenities provide a wonderland of discovery in a playfully — and sustainably — designed facility. The museum’s imaginative gallery for toddlers is twice its former size, a freshwater pond gives children a “fish eye view” of turtles and other aquatic life, and young visitors become world travelers when they visit an international street based on real local businesses to make lanterns for Chinese New Year and bake pretend bread in the Mexican bakery. The newly expanded museum — founded in 1899 as the world’s first museum created expressly for children — is also slated to be the first museum in New York City to receive LEED certification. Among the facility’s green features are flooring and display cases made from renewable or recycled content, a geothermal heating and cooling system, photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, and waterless urinals. World-renowned architect Rafael Viñoly designed the 51,000-square-foot expansion — including exhibit spaces, a café and gift shop — which add to the museum’s existing 51,000 square feet for a new combined total of 102,000 square feet. “Our new daffodil-yellow museum will serve as a beacon of inspiration and wonder for all who visit — children, parents, educators, neighbors, tourists and the world,” said Carol Enseki, the museum’s president. “We’ve specifically designed our new building with soaring ceilings and abundant natural light, creating the best possible atmosphere to spark the curiosity of children, encouraging them to develop a respect for themselves, others, and the world around them as they transform into budding anthropologists, scientists, artists and adventurers. Our new exhibitions and programs, along with our already-rich collections, embrace the vibrant diversity of our surroundings in Brooklyn and continue the tradition of excellence we have maintained for more than 100 years.” Thanks to popular demand, the museum has preserved the beloved People Tube — a sloping tunnel that houses a trickling stream and multicolored neon lights — to welcome a new generation of learners. Information provided by Barbara Wagner, Rubenstein Associates, on behalf of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. For more information, visit www.brooklynkids.org. 114 ed+c D E C E MBE R 08 http://www.brooklynkids.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Environmental Design + Construction - December 2008

Environmental Design %2B Construction - December 2008 Contents Web TOC Editor's Note Newsline Living Lab Sustainable Perspectives Resources Products Trade Names Suppliers 2008 Top Products Shedding Light on Energy Advertiser's Index Marketplace %2B Classifieds Parting Shot

Environmental Design + Construction - December 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.