Regional Community Design
Narrative:
The now-reclaimed land on which the Queens Botanical Garden is located was famously described in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 book The Great Gatsby as "a valley of ashes." Today, the Garden is located at the nexus of the most ethnically diverse county in the United States. More than 130 languages and dialects are spoken in the area.
Community-based programming includes gardening for children and seniors, seasonal celebrations, weddings, daily tai chi practice, and classes for visitors and professionals on everything from renewable energy to green landscaping and composting. The building design is the result of a community-driven planning process. A variety of assembly spaces within the Center, both open to the landscape and sheltered from the elements, shape visitors' experience of the Gardens.
The Garden is accessible by public transportation. Showers located in the building encourage employees to commute by biking or walking. Parking options include designated spaces for carpools and alternative-fuel vehicles. The Garden is also converting its own vehicle fleet to electric vehicles.
Metrics :
Estimated percent of occupants using public transit, cycling or walking:
25%
source: http://www.aiatopten.org