People have become more isolated and less social than they once were, in part over decades due to the internet, and in part because of a recent pandemic. This project is a nature and community center focused on bringing people together through nature and education and is largely focused on the idea of socialization. The program is structured with this in mind, having spaces that will draw the community as well as tourists, and create an environment constantly bringing in new and repeat visitors.

The nature and community center includes:

• A high-quality, museum-like exhibition space highlighting the nature of Colorado and Chatfield State Park

• An auditorium for events, movies, and other showings

• A recreation facility for archery and other clubs/classes with classrooms on the ground floor, creating one location for Chatfield clubs and education classes of all ages

• A restaurant with a greenhouse space to have fresh and local food available year-round

• Conference rooms and office spaces for the nature center that are also available to rent out • Reception area with smaller café, gift shop, and main bathroom facilities

The site was chosen due to its close proximity to the entrance of the park, where visitors can easily come and go, and where the structure is nestled into the landscape to be visually unobtrusive to the nature around it. Additionally, how the structure is situated creates a sound barrier to help block off noise from the road. The buildings are made predominantly of locally sourced mass timber from Colorado and rammed earth taken from the excavation site, limiting the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere and allowing the thermal mass of the rammed earth to passively heat and cool the structures. Many trees are added to the site. This is to encourage nature to meld with the buildings around it, as well as to facilitate in passive heating strategies, where they shade buildings in the winter, and the loss of leaves in the winter allow for the sun to stream through and warm the buildings.