Greenroofs.com Projects - Chattahoochee Nature Center, Discovery Center

Chattahoochee Nature Center, Discovery Center

Project Name: Chattahoochee Nature Center, Discovery Center
Year: 2009
Owner: Chattahoochee Nature Center
Location: Roswell, GA, USA
Building Type: Park
Type: Semi-Extensive
System: Custom
Size: 2000 sq.ft.
Slope: 2%
Access: Accessible, Open to Public
Submitted by: The Chattahoochee Nature Center

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Architect: Lord, Aeck & Sergeant
Landscape Architect: EDAW

The mission of the Chattahoochee Nature Center is to provide unique learning experiences focused on the Chattahoochee River that connect all people to the natural world and empower them to positively impact their local environments. "Once inside the new Discovery Center, visitors will be treated to a rarity- a green roof terrace planted with native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs. Located just off of the upper exhibit gallery, the terrace offers stunning views of the surrounding forest and wetlands and winter views of the Chattahoochee River.

"The new Discovery Center Green Roof will feature 2000 square feet of native plants, most of which are found in the rock outcroppings of the Georgia Piedmont. These plants, known for growing on exposed rocks in very shallow soils, are specially adapted to sunny and dry conditions. The Chattahoochee Nature Center will recreate this environment and help visitors discover how they can apply low water landscaping techniques at their homes and businesses. The Green Roof Garden is made possible in part by a generous contribution from The Home Depot and is just one of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) features of the new Discovery Center, " (Chattahoochee Nature Center website).

The Chattahoochee Nature Center greenroof will cover about half the roof of the new Discovery center. The other half harvests rain for use in the restroom facilities. The greenroof is expected to be be planted in April, 2009 in time for the opening of the new facility in mid June. A portion of the greenroof will be planted with conventional plant species, but the majority will be planted with native plants of the rock outcroppings in the Piedmont like Confederate Daisy, Diamorpha, Little Bluestem and native cacti. This will be the first roof in the region to incorporate this many native plants representing a wonderful natural community you can see at Stone Mountain and Mount Arabia preserve, (Henning von Schmeling, personal communications).

Additional thumbnail photos:

The Chattahoochee Nature Center is located at 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell, GA 30075; 770.992.2055; contact Henning von Schmeling, Senior Operations Director, at: h.vonschmeling@chattnaturecenter.com. Visit the website , and see their Green Roof page here .

SPONSORS: