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The following thesis project explores the design of a nature center and planetarium within Rock Creek Park, in Washington, DC. The project evolved from a desire to re-imagine a relationship with nature in a way that allows conversation, reflective thinking, and allows one's sense of wonder to enter a place which is between science and myth. The design of the nature center and planetarium was developed by investigating the dualities which exist within and around the site, such as earth and air, day and night,and winter and summer. The goal was to create a building which is fully embedded in the site around it, to create a unique environment for exploration and conversation, and a place to contemplate one's relationship with nature. / Master of Architecture

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Master of Science / Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Ted T. Cable / Dillon Nature Center has a wide variety of exhibits that teach the public about the natural resources of Kansas. The purpose of my study was to conduct an exploratory study about the effectiveness of two key exhibits in the nature center (Underground Theater and Tornado), as well as evaluate the use of Quick Response Code or QR codes along one of the trails. A visitor survey was used to collect these data over 30 3- hour sampling periods. One hundred and ninety-five visitors were surveyed during the extent of my study. Fifty-four of those who were surveyed went into the Underground Theater exhibit and 47 went into the Tornado exhibit. I concluded that the Underground Theater exhibit was successful in providing useful information to the visitor, whereas the Tornado exhibit provided little useful information to the visitor. Visitors slightly preferred the use of QR codes along the trail even though the actual use was low. This study indicated that the type of exhibit greatly impacts what the visitor takes away from the exhibit. I also showed that it is likely people prefer newer technology to be available at the nature center. These findings provided the management and staff of Dillon Nature Center with information to guide their interpretive-planning efforts.

In the 1960s a movement by the National Audubon Society encouraged growing communities to set aside a portion of undeveloped land to be used as nature centers to teach conservation and natural history while allowing people to cultivate an understanding and appreciation of nature. This research responds to the need for a greater understanding of who is visiting nature centers in the 21st century and why. A key question is whether or not nature centers have kept up with changing times and advancing technologies. No research has been conducted to determine if nature centers are still relevant today to a society accustomed to living and learning electronically in a virtual reality. In order to determine who visits nature centers and why, a questionnaire was developed and administered to Members and Non-members of the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge (FWNC) of Fort Worth, TX. It was determined that visitors to the FWNC were not representative of the general population of the surrounding area. They were older, predominantly white, and had higher education levels. Using the membership in a Friends organization as a representative population of nature center visitors, it was determined that the Non-member visitors were similar to the Members except that they were younger. Members visited the FWNC with a higher degree of frequency than Non-members, but there was no difference in degree of visitation to other nature centers. Both groups identified "lack of time" as the primary barrier to increased visitation. Members appeared to be seeking specific, educational experiences compared to Non-members who tended to seek more general, recreational experiences. Members had more specific knowledge about benefits and services that the FWNC provided the community. Overall, both groups were satisfied with their visits, with Members having a more defined set of expectations and a higher level of satisfaction. This preliminary assessment suggests that nature centers continue to be a relevant source for education, recreation and relaxation, and continue to remain a unique resource in keeping 21st century society connected to the nature world.

Contextually, each program has a set of inherent issues, stemming from physical, social and historical conditions. This context can be helpful, if not essential, in developing the architectural questions that lead to a concept. To establish an autonomous existence as an architectural place. The James River Nature Center provided a complex program that allowed for the exploration of context and concept as a thesis. / Master of Architecture

The way things connect with each other plays an important role in our everyday life. A work of architecture is inevitably a series of connections between objects, people, and places. This study is an exploration into the idea of strengthening the connections to a place, and perhaps it is possible to give the visitor a heightened awareness of the history of that place. As a part of what allows a building to connect with a place, history and memory play a vital role in the strength of the connection. A building can be a physical manifestation of the story of history and connect people to the past. The materials we use to construct built environments play a crucial role in the connection of a building to a place. Inherently some materials embody the history of a site, and through the passage of time this history can be brought to the surface. The question then becomes can the material subtly project the history of the place to a visitor in such a way that it can be clearly understood. One way this can be accomplished is to make the material react with multiple senses. Obviously materials play a major role in our visual and tactile experience of a place, but how can the other senses be made aware of the surroundings. Each object we touch has a story to tell, perhaps how it was made, or maybe how it came to be in a certain place. So in this way a building is a compilation of stories of materials, and the relation of these stories can help us to understand a place. The stories embedded in materials can at the same time make us aware of the passage of time through their aging and decay. With these ideas we start to explore how the connections to a place occur. / Master of Architecture

Relevance to the California science, history, and social-science frameworks.