March 15, 2010 — Just barely outside of Downtown Raleigh lies the Walnut Creek Wetlands area. For decades the area was neglected and served as a place to dump refuse, despite being home to more than 50 federally protected animal species. After several years of cleanup efforts, this past September saw the opening of the Walnut Creek Wetlands Center, designed by local architect Frank Harmon…

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by Angela Hampton

I’ve had some great feedback on my last blog about Garner’s environmentally friendly “White Deer Park”. I was also reminded of another “green place” in Wake County. It’s the Walnut Creek Urban Wetland Educational Park, just south of downtown Raleigh.

The newest addition is the Environmental Education Center. It’s 7,000 square feet and includes classrooms, a library, a bookshop, a conference room, a laboratory and more. Like the structures at White Deer Park, the Walnut Creek Education Center is made with recycled materials and has a bio-retention system to filter storm water runoff before it returns to Walnut Creek. Raleigh architect, Frank Harmon, FAIA, of Frank Harmon Architect PA, says he designed the center to embrace the park’s mission, which is to conserve a natural wetland. So, the center is poised six feet above the wetlands flood plain, to protect it as much as possible. Plenty of windows provide natural light and ventilation. There’s also a huge back porch that bridges the gap between indoors and out.

The entire park is about 50 acres and will no doubt provide a beautiful respite and learning experience for people in Raleigh, while preserving the wetlands and a home for wildlife. I think we’re lucky to have these green spaces. Enjoy!

The park is transforming 49 acres of abused, polluted wetlands into a living, natural resource for the City of Raleigh. The park’s mission is to promote understanding of and protection for an urban wetland, enhance community pride, and encourage economic development. It will provide an accessible “quiet zone” for communing with nature while preserving the natural beauty of the wetland and protecting the habitat of numerous species.

Phase one of the project is the thoroughly “green” 7000-square-foot Environmental Education Center that houses a bookshop, conference room, small library, and a kitchen, as well as classrooms and a laboratory. It was designed by Frank Harmon, FAIA, of Frank Harmon Architect PA in Raleigh with Robin C. Moore and Nilda Cosco of The Natural Learning Initiative. Other key players in the design were landscape architect Cynthia Rice and civil engineers McKim & Creed, who provided the porous paving and bio-retention design.

“Since the overall goal of Walnut Creek Urban Wetlands Educational Park is to conserve and protect a natural wetland, the architectural element had to embrace the same mission,” Harmon said.

The new 7000-square-foot Educational Center conserves and protects the natural wetland by resting lightly upon the land, echoing and embracing the indigenous materials surrounding it. The structure is poised six feet above the wetlands flood plain so its footprint is minimal.

The all-wood construction utilizes recycled materials wherever possible and blends seamlessly into the landscape while an abundance of windows welcome the surroundings into the building. The windows also facilitate natural ventilation and illumination.

All circulation occurs on the exterior of the building across ”the longest back porch in North Carolina,” as Harmon calls it, inviting visitors out into the environment. The metal roof’s deep overhangs protect the interior from the harsh summer sun. A bio-retention system is also in place to filter storm water runoff before it returns to Walnut Creek. Extensive areas of native plants and flowers further blend the building into its surroundings.

The Walnut Creek Urban Wetlands Park is part of the Raleigh Parks & Recreation Department. It is the cornerstone of Walnut Creek 2000, an action program developed by Partners for Environmental Justice. It was initiated by a broad base of Wake County citizens.

For detailed information on the entire plan, see www.naturalearning.org/docs/WalnutCreek.pdf. For more information on the green Education center, go to www.frankharmon.com and click on “current” projects.