Crystal Cove Wildlife Observatory

Project funding was based on a simple programmatic description – year-round wildlife observation which could include aquatics, waterfowl, woodlands and wetlands habitats. The design team worked with the Owner to define the program further in such a way that it fit within the tight $200,000 budget. The project concept was constantly being refined, beginning with a series of pavilions spaced sparsely around the park looking at different aspects of wildlife and ultimately resulting in two closely-spaced pavilions.

One pavilion houses video observation within an opaque structure that would offer a glimpse into otherwise concealed wildlife habitats such as underwater life via remote habitat-sited cameras. This structure is wrapped in a steel exoskeleton colonnade, creating a transitional space between the inside and outside of the facility.  An interesting dichotomy of this pavilion is that humans must enter the concealed human-habitat in order to view concealed wildlife habitats at the park. The second pavilion houses outdoor observation activities such as bird watching, relatively non-obtrusively, behind a wood slat screen.

Sensitivity to site was critical to the design of the structures. In an effort to develop a tectonic that supports observation activities, while minimizing impact on local ecologies, we examined the park-vernacular that has evolved over the decades. The surrounding park structures utilized a number of park-wisdoms such as low-wall openings and pole structures to support natural air-flow, inverted roof slopes to help control run-off and slats to create concealed viewing habitats. Implementing some of this park-wisdom along with a constant effort to reduce the physical and budgetary footprint of the pavilions resulted in a facility that is very much of-the-place.