The Infinity Dimension

Narrative: 

 

The borough of Queens is fast becoming a hub for ecological innovation, and the Queens Botanical Garden Visitor Center has influenced administration and policy throughout the city, including through a new local law that mandates LEED certification for all new City-funded construction. Mayor Michael Bloomberg opened the Center, praising it as a prototype for future buildings and an important asset in the development of PlaNYC 2030, the City program for implementing green practices and reducing carbon emissions 30% by the year 2030.

 

There were challenges during the building process. As the first project in the city designed to attain a LEED Platinum rating, the team was largely inexperienced. We were guided by consultants and used the construction of a maintenance building for the Garden as a practice project. New York State's “Wick’s Law” necessitated the separation of construction trades, but the design of the building systems was heavily integrated. Careful documentation of responsibility was essential. Contractors with good construction standards easily adjusted to the necessary erosion control, tree protection, and indoor air quality inspections.

 

We learned that green design involves rethinking the way we design buildings and manage construction processes. Green design influenced the form of the whole building and was a driving force behind our design. If architecture is to play a leading role in the creation of a sustainable culture, it must inspire communities to connect more profoundly with the natural world.