GSNEO STEM Center

Services

• Master Planning
• Space Utilization
• Visioning
• Estimating/Scheduling
• Sustainable Design
• Branding
• Visualizations and Graphics
• Architecture
• Interior Design
• FF&E
• Construction Services

Project Goals

The building gracefully manages rainwater through natural infiltration and collection systems, harnesses solar energy to power its functions, and incorporates sustainable strategies that dramatically reduce waste. Every element was designed to support environmental balance, mimicking the intelligence of natural systems.

Building Organization

Four specialized classrooms - including a workshop, wet lab, tech lab, and a multi-purpose space - extend seamlessly into the surrounding forest via glass garage doors and covered porches, dissolving the boundaries between indoor and outdoor learning. Trails, an outdoor classroom, and wildlife observation areas transform the site, itself, into a living lab.

Interior Concept

• Interior finishes blend STEM motifs with organic forms and earthy hues. Movable furniture and flexible surfaces encourage creativity and adaptability. A two-story central lobby anchors the experience with transparency and connectivity.
• Biomimicry themes are displayed throughout the inside and outside of the building to show how nature inspires design and invention. Graphics and signage tell the stories of how manmade design mimics plants and animals to help visitors learn from nature, hopefully inspiring them to develop their own ideas.

Sustainable Features

• Outdoor classrooms and spaces
• Although LEED was not sought, the project was approached with the same rigor as if it was seeking certification.
• A mechanical solar flower opens during the day, following the path of the sun and providing solar power to the building.
• Nature inspired shades of Hardie Board siding, along with dot-patterned windows to prevent bird strikes.
• Portions of the soffit & siding on both the exterior and interior of the building emulate real wood but are made of upcycled rice hulls.
• The roofline mimics butterfly wings, channeling stormwater runoff while allowing high windows to bring natural light deep into the interior.
• The lower roof features a vegetative, living roof along with roof pavers and outdoor seating.
• The rainwater system emulates the natural water filtration and collection process, funneling water from the roof, through a rain garden and biofiltration basin, and then into a retention basin, containing all the rainwater naturally on the site.
• The building was removed from the parking area to immerse visitors in nature.
• A compass node and pedestrian bridge allow visitors to interact with the landscape as they approach.

Highlights

• The new 8,000 square-foot STEM Center is located in Camp Ledgewood in Peninsula, Ohio and built for programs for the Girl Scouts and the local community.
• Targets Kindergarten through fifth grade girls to expose them to the exciting opportunities that are available with STEM and show them that they can succeed in this field.
• Every aspect of the new Center, both exterior and interior, was inspired by nature, offering the ability for visitors to learn from the materials, shapes and colors that make up this campus.