That's the dilemma the Arboretum faced when planning the addition to the visitor center. Designed by Tony Puttnam, of Taliesin Architects, the Arboretum sought to minimize the impact of the addition on its surrounding environment. Therefore, we have incorporated several environmentally sensitive elements into the design. The building and the garden will provide an important area for teaching about ecological restoration and the development of a positive, constructive relationship between humans and nature. There will be no net storm water runoff from the building.
Urban runoff accumulates pollutants as rainwater or snowmelt flow across roads and yards.
The runoff contains oil and grease, nutrients, heavy metals, bacteria, and sediment. All the rainwater that falls on the visitor center's hard surfaces, such as the roof or the parking lot, will be channeled underground. Also, the rainwater will soak away and eventually help to recharge the aquifers below. The consumption of fossil fuels and the pollution it causes is a long-standing environmental problem. Light that bleeds off into the night sky not only is an environmental hazard, but is a needless expense as well.