September 29, 2008 (RALEIGH, NC) – Phase One of the Walnut Creek Urban Wetland Educational Park in central Wake County, south of the downtown district, officially opened today.

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.