Here’s an inside look at Renzo Piano’s Acadamy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park that will open later this year. The LEED Platinum building received a sterling New York Times review because of its expression of evolution, that mankind is just a speck in the universe. The green skylit domes push into the sky from the square box insertion. This building “under the park” is a stunning object sitting just across from the new De Young Museum.
The rolling green roof, which imitates the site topography, gives dynamic to the planetarium, rainforest, and aquarium exhibits inside. Additionially, an expressive glass canopy on the edges with 60,000 photo voltaic cells with produce 5% of the building’s energy. Underneath the green, there is a transparency which clearly indicates the function of individual spaces by the structural forms.
As I walked by, some construction workers noticed I was checking out the building and, in Australian accents, shouted, “You like this? This is my building. I built it.” They didn’t know anything about LEED or how popular this building was in architecture circles, but were simply content and satisfied that they put the pieces in place for this remarkable and iconic project.
More Images and Info
(Ray Bouknight– flickr/creative commons license)
(Ray Bouknight– flickr/creative commons license)
(HarshLight– flickr/creative commons license)
(HarshLight– flickr/creative commons license)
