Nature is landscape, living things, and environmental processes working together in one system. Human intervention of nature becomes a force on nature itself. The center aims to bridge the gap between nature and culture by allowing a series of boundary transactions to happen. These boundary transactions happen in three ways: visually, thermally, and tactilely. 

The site for the center was chosen with these three boundary transactions in mind as found conditions or as future transactions. The center inhabits a site along the Beltline that has great visual connectivity to the landscape and the city and a diverse mix of material boundaries. There is also a major topographic change on the site, which provides flow patterns for people and various environmental processes. 

Programmatically, the center has three specific parts: a public wing, ramping circulation, and a research wing. The public wing contains a café, exhibition space, and an auditorium for both research and community functions. The research wing has a library, classrooms, and labs. These two programs are all tied together by the ramping circulation that flows down the site and connects both wings. 

Formally, the building incorporates the idea of boundary transactions between nature and culture in multiple ways. The ramping circulation bridges the gap between the cultural side and the environmental research of the center. These ramps also float above the ground, which creates a channel for water and air to move across the site. The public and research wings are embedded into the topography, which signify the force exerted on nature.

Location: Atlanta, GA