I'll kick this off with our visit to the
Kalamazoo Nature Center this morning. The Nature Center is located in Cooper Township, just a short drive north of Kalamazoo. It was the first visit for me, despite living here 7+ years. At the center of the grounds is a
mid-century visitors center designed by Alden B. Dow, built in 1964. I'm sure Alden's name & work will come up a lot on this thread, as he was one of the most influential modern architects in Michigan.
The building is very unique, but showing its age, and the Nature Center has been chipping away at necessary upgrades over the past few years. One of the more notable upgrades that is wrapping up right now is the removal & replacement of the original glass dome that covers a central atrium. The new dome will provide energy savings as well as a built-in deterrent for bird collisions. The atrium is the focal point of the building, and it contains live plants and a winding ramp that connects the two levels of the facility. There are rotating displays and live animals both inside and outside of the building.
The original dome was hoisted away by crane this spring (video below). The new dome is now in-place, and they are wrapping up work on the surrounding roof to make everything weathertight. The entire thing is very cool, nested into the surrounding landscape and accessed by a long covered bridge that carries you through the wooded area. We will definitely be back!
• Video Link
All of the photos below were taken by me today -
1. The entry / approach to the bridge -
2. The bridge from the side, seen through the trees -
3. Date marker -
4. Bridge roof detail -
5. The bridge -
6. Timeline -
7 - 11. Interior of the atrium. You can see the temporary plastic wrap through the glass roof of the new dome -
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12 - 18. Exterior views -
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19 - 20. Interior views -
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Source: My own photos